DEFENCE top brass has asked the Indian Army to guarantee the safety of Australian athletes at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next month.

Defence confirmed in response to a query from The Age that it had ''sought assurances'' from the head of the Indian Army that Australian athletes would be protected.

However, a defence spokesman denied a report in the Indian media that Defence officials told General V.K. Singh that they were concerned for the safety of Australian athletes at the Commonwealth Games because of our involvement at Oruzgan, in Afghanistan. The Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston, the Chief of Army, Ken Gillespie, and the secretary of the Defence Department, Ian Watt, met the Indian Army chief in Canberra last month, amid fears that the games could be targeted by terrorist groups.

''The Chief of Defence Force and the Chief of Army discussed a wide range of issues during General Singh's visit,'' the Defence spokesman said.

''During General Singh's visit, the Chief of the Defence Force sought an assurance that the security for the Commonwealth Games would be effective. General Singh provided an overview of the security capability that would be in place for the games and gave an assurance that appropriate actions were being taken to counter the risk.