After objections raised by the defence forces, India rejected China's request for permission to allow its four warships to enter Indian maritime zone to search for the missing Malaysian airliner.

China, whose 150 nationals are on board the aircraft, had on Wednesday sent a formal request to India to allow their warships including a salvage vessel and two frigates to enter Indian waters in the Andaman Sea to locate the plane.

The request was politely declined and the Chinese navy was told that Indian Navy and the air force were already scanning the area and there was no need for anybody else to search the area, sources told PTI.