Deputy Police Commissioner Dependra Pathak said his detectives have so far seized a parachute, which is fitted into the multi-role aircraft and added that efforts were on to recover other accessories from the three alleged thieves.

Pathak said the spares were stolen in 2001 from a military consignment bound by rail for the city of Bangalore, the hub of India's aeronautical industry.

He gave no details of the items stolen, but airforce sources said they included vital parts needed in the combat aircraft.

"The three are being interrogated to ascertain what they did with the accessories," Pathak said of the spare parts, which can hardly be sold on the open market.

The Indian airforce has a fleet of Mirage-2000 and other imported warjets but desperately needs spare parts to keep them airworthy.

WAR.WIRE