Government officials and company representatives from more than 20 countries are in the southern Indian city of Bangalore for one of the world's largest airshows, Aero India, which opens on Wednesday.

Firms from the United States are attending for the first time since the lifting of sanctions which had been imposed by Washington following nuclear tests by India and Pakistan.

A BBC correspondent in Bangalore says that western aviation companies, which are still facing difficulties after the attacks on September 11, are keen to get a share of India's aircraft industry with new collaborative ventures.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service