Congress party law makers said they re-elected Sonia Gandhi as their leader today in a crucial step toward her being named India’s first foreign-born prime minister.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ruling coalition said it was “confident” it would secure a majority in Parliament when final election results are counted tomorrow, though exit polls indicated a hung legislature was likely.

Two suspected Islamic militants stormed an army camp in Kashmir killing 12 soldiers before they were slain, as India’s president wrapped up a three-day visit to the strife-torn Himalayan region.

A MISSILE scientist who advocates nuclear weapons as a war deterrent was elected India's president yesterday.

Abdul Kalam, a missile scientist who advocates nuclear weapons as a deterrent to war, was elected today as India’s ceremonial president, a local news agency said.

Indian leaders began voting for a new figurehead president today, with the father of the country’s missile programme almost certain to win.