Ripudaman Singh Malik is on trial along with Ajaib Singh Bagri

Two Canadian men are accused of killing 329 people with a bomb that exploded on an Air India jumbo jet in 1985 as it flew from Canada to India.

The suspects - Sikh immigrants from India - deny any involvement and will now begin presenting their defence.

A verdict is unlikely before the end of this year, the BBC's Ian Gunn says.

'Contradictory evidence'

Government lawyers had originally planned to call more than 1,000 witnesses to lay out their case against the two men from western Canada, Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik

But the list was cut down to 600 when the trial began, and fewer than 90 witnesses were actually called to testify.

The Air India flight 182 plunged into the Atlantic ocean near Ireland

The suspects, prosecutors say, helped plant the bomb on the Air India jet.

Key witnesses have testified that the accused asked them to take a suitcase to Vancouver airport but not to get on the flight.

Other witnesses - including a woman who said she was in love with Mr Malik - have said the men admitted to the bombing, our correspondent says.

He adds that some technical evidence has at times been contradictory and one important witness was unable to remember any useful evidence in court despite having earlier given detailed statements to investigators.