India puts on hold search for missing plane - officials

India on Sunday put on hold its search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, at the request of the government in Kuala Lumpur, which wants to reassess the week-old hunt for the Boeing 777 that is now suspected of being hijacked.

India had been searching in two areas, one around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and a second further west in the Bay of Bengal. Both searches have been suspended, but may resume, defence officials said.

"It's more of a pause," said Commander Babu, a spokesman for the country's Eastern Naval Command.

"The Malaysian authorities are reassessing the situation. They will figure whether they need to shift the area of search."