Indian scientists claim to have successfully created enough red blood cells from stem cells which they say could be used as "artificial blood" in people who need transfusion, thereby ending the shortage of blood in the country.

A team at the country's premier Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in the southern city of Chennai says that mass production of artificial blood would be ready before human trials start in three years, according to reports in the local media.

"We will be able to provide any amount of safe and disease-free blood at half the cost of blood sold now," lead scientist Prof. Soma Guhathakurta was quoted by local paper "The Times of India" as saying.

The scientists plan to first perform animal trials before human trials.

"We will simultaneously process papers for performing animal trials with the artificial blood. It will first be tested on anemic mice. If they are able to accept it and survive, we will take it to the next level," the lead scientist said.

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