The $500 million (£306 million) contract was awarded in October after a global tender to Milton Keynes-based SIS Live, Europe's largest outside broadcast and uplink supplier.

But two months on, the paperwork has not yet been finalised, leading a miffed SIS Live to warn Doordarshan that unless the contract was finalised soon, it would be difficult for it to continue with the work.

The work includes setting up world-class telecast facilities at the venues of 17 sporting events as well as imparting training to Doordarshan staff.

The delay is also threatening television coverage of the Queen's Baton Relay which is currently undertaking 340-day, 120,000-mile journey across all the Commonwealth countries and territories, and is due to end in Delhi at the start of the Games on October 3, 2010.

India's Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam has now taken a leading role in the issue to iron out legal creases in the contract.

Doordarshan director general Aruna Sharma, admitted there had been a delay but that she expected the matter to be resolved early in the New Year.

She said: "I am concerned like everyone.

"But I am sure things will be sorted out soon and a firm contract will be in place before mid-January.

"Non-availability of officials from either side on account of Christmas holidays is also delaying a full-fledged meeting.

"It just requires a single meeting of all concerned to arrive at a consensus document."

Though the first draft of the contract was made available on October 29, the foreign partner has raised concern over Indian legal parameters being incorporated into the text of the contract, although the Indian Government claimed that SIS Live had tried to change several aspects of the agreement after agreeing the deal.

The contract was due to have been finalised by mid-November to give adequate time to SIS Live to set up facilities and train staff.

SIS Live are due to provide over 1,000 highly-skilled technical and production staff at the 12 venues in Delhi assisted by 300 Doordarshan staff, who were to be trained by the international broadcaster.

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