8:30am UK, Sunday June 02, 2002

HMS Invincible, one of Britain's most famous warships, is reportedly on the brink of being sold to India.

sl hms invincible royal navy

HMS Invincible

The south Asian country wants the ship to strengthen its armed forces in the face of a possible war with nuclear rivalPakistan.

Selling the aircraft carrier could help the Ministry of Defence raise funds to buy two new "super-carriers".

MoD officials have discussed with their Indian counterparts the possibility of selling the ship, The Sunday Times reports.

Arms dealing

Britain has three aircraft carriers - the other two are HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious. Invincible is due to be taken out of service in 2006.

India needs to replace another former Royal Navy carrier, HMS Hermes, which it bought from Britain in 1986.

The reports could inflame criticism of Britain's arms dealing in Delhi amid growing international apprehension over the prospect of conflict between the two nuclear powers.

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan has played down fears of a nuclear war, saying neither side is irresponsible enough to engage in such a battle.