Melbourne, Sept 19: Australia's Delhi-bound Commonwealth Games contingent has been warned that there is an 80 per cent risk of terror attacks in the Indian capital but the country remained committed to participating in the event.

A new security risk assessment report prepared by private counter-terrorism and security consultants Homeland Security Asia-Pacific has warned that the 550 Australian athletes and officials are putting their safety at risk by travelling to Delhi later this week for the October 3 to 14 event.

"...an analysis of the risks found the Federal Government and sports administrators had played down the threat," the 'Sunday Herald Sun' reported.

Listing the security risks, the report said that the "screening machines at major Delhi hotels were often switched off or faulty and public transport infrastructure was vulnerable to attack because of the large numbers of travellers and little security surveillance."

"The city's international airport had weak perimeter security and staff were yet to be trained properly to use security scanning technology and key Games Family Hotel, where sports officials and referees will stay, had no proper defensive perimeter, making it vulnerable to a large vehicular bomb."

The report claimed that there were "30 known terror groups active in the Delhi area, some responsible for past terror outrages and training facilities and foreign diplomatic missions also were potential targets."

"After preliminary examination of the layout of Delhi Games venues and facilities, it would still be easier and more likely for an attack to be staged in an area close to, but not in, the actual Games precinct," it said.

"Such a bombing, using an IED or VIED, would generate the same massive propaganda results worldwide as bombing a venue, or the Games Family Hotel," the report added.

One of the report's authors and counter-terrorism expert and security consultant Roger Henning said the biggest threat to Aussie athletes was while travelling by road "from the airport to the village and from the village to the venues".

"This is when they will be at their most vulnerable outside the security nets that have been set up," he said.

"Delhi is a densely populated city and the opportunity for a terrorist strike in the city's choking traffic and among homogeneous crowds is obvious. The mere mass of humanity makes it extremely difficult to protect an event of this size," he added.

Henning said the Australian government has underestimated the threat in India.

"There is a lack of understanding on the part of politicians and sports officials of the ongoing risks in India and this is a real concern of ours," Mr Henning said.

But Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO Perry Crosswhite said the security risks in Delhi have been over-analysed by the media.

"The Indian authorities have done an immense amount of work on security at the Games and I have a lot of confidence in the steps they have taken," he said.

Sports Minister Mark Arbib echoed Crosswhite's views.

"We are confident the Indian Government is putting in every effort into ensuring a safe Games," he said.