INS Delhi (D61)

This article is about the guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi (D61), commissioned in 1997. For the cruiser in service between 1948 and 1978, see INS Delhi (1948).

INS Delhi (D61) departing Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, 20 June 2009.
History
Name	INS Delhi
Namesake	Delhi
Ordered	20 March 1992
Builder	Mazagon Dock Limited, India
Laid down	12 December 1992
Launched	20 March 1995
Commissioned	15 November 1997
Identification	Pennant number: D61
Status	in active service
Badge	Seal of INS Delhi
General characteristics
Class and type	Delhi class destroyer
Displacement	6,200 tons (full load)
Length	163 m (535 ft)
Beam	17.4 m (57 ft)
Draught	6.5 m (21 ft)
Propulsion	2 × M36E gas turbine plants; 2 shafts; 4 × DT-59 reversible gas turbines; 2 G-54 gearboxes; 64,000 shp
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h)+
Range	5,000 mi (8,000 km)
Complement	350 (incl 40 officers)
Sensors and processing systems	1 × MR-775 Fregat MAE air search radar 1 × Bharat RAWL (Dutch Signaal LW08) surface search radar 3 × MR-212/201 Vaygach-U (NATO: Palm Frond) navigation radars, JRC SATCOM 1 × Bharat APSOH or HUMSA sonar 1 × Garden Reach Model 15-750 variable depth sonar or 1 x Thales ATAS
Armament	4 quad-cell Kh-35 Switchblade (SS-N-25) SSM Barak SAM 2 × Shtil SAM systems 1 × 100 mm AK-100 gun 4 × 30 mm AK-630 gatling guns 2 × RBU-6000 Anti-submarine mortar arrays 5 × 10-21 inch torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried	2 x Sea King helicopters

INS Delhi is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. She was built at the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai and commissioned on 15 November 1997. This class is among the largest warships to be designed and built in India.

Delhi is the second vessel of the Indian Navy to bear the name. She inherits the mantle from the Leander-class cruiser of the same name, previously HMS Achilles of Battle of the River Plate fame. She had an illustrious career in the Portuguese-Indian War of 1961, during the annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu when she provided naval gunfire support.

Operations

Task Force Europe 2009

During May–July 2009, INS Delhi led the Indian Navy task force on deployment to Europe. During this deployment, the task force participated in joint-exercises with the Royal Navy and the French Navy. Exercise Konkan-09 with the Royal Navy, was conducted off the coast of the United Kingdom. Exercise Varuna 2009 with the French Navy was off the coast of France.