Indian warplane hit by sanctions

Indian officials say the country's programme to develop a war plane could be hit by United States sanctions imposed in reaction to India's nuclear tests.

A group of eight technicians working on the project in the United States have already returned home.

Officials, who declined to be identified, told the BBC that the test flight of the prototype is likely to be delayed.

The Light Combat Aircraft being developed in Bangalore has already experienced technical difficulties.

A BBC correspondent in Bangalore says the plane was intended to replace India's ageing Mig-21's by the year two-thousand-and-two.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service