The ’instruments’ were criticised by a wide range of players, coaches and commentators in South Africa, who insisted the distinctive low-pitched bellow was an incessant distraction that drowned out crowd chants and made it nearly impossible for players to communicate.

The horns have since been banned by UEFA, European football’s governing body and by several English Premier League club grounds as well as at many other sporting events.

However, the iconic instrument appears to be immensely popular in the Indian capital, with around 10,000 plastic vuvuzela horns having already been sold in Delhi through official merchandising outlets at 250 rupees (£3.50/$5.50) each.

Suresh Kumar, chairman of the Games’ official merchandising company Premier Brands, said 50,000 vuvuzelas had been imported from China and 10,000 had already been bought from stalls, shops and mobile vans.

"People here like them because in India we associate celebrations with noise,” he said.

"Festivals like Diwali are always very loud.

"Vuvuzelas are the most popular item we are selling.

"We expect the rest to go by the middle of the Games and we can’t get any more because they were ordered from China."

Harris Mbulelo Majeke, South Africa’s High Commissioner in Delhi, said: “We are going to make a lot of noise.

"We are going to have lots of fun.

"We are going to blast the stadiums with vuvuzelas."

However, the situation in India remains tense after a court verdict made a decision over a holy site in the city of Ayodhya.

Ayodhya has been the subject of a 60-year legal battle between Hindus and Muslims who both lay claim to the site.

Believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu God Ram, fights over the city have caused thousands of deaths over the years.

The High Court yesterday awarded two-thirds of disputed Ayodhya site to Hindu parties and one-third to Muslims, although both look set to contest the verdict.

It means that security is on high alert around Games venues to ensure no violence breaks out between the religious groups.

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