India's cabinet has announced a ban on the production, import and sale of electronic cigarettes, saying they pose a risk to health.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

An executive order had been approved banning vaping products because of their impact on young people, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

It is not clear if the order will also prohibit the use of vaping equipment.

India has more than 100 million adult smokers, making it a huge potential market for e-cigarette companies.

Vaping - which involves inhaling a mix typically made of nicotine, water, solvents and flavours - is seen as an alternative to smoking which can help you quit, but its impact on health is still not fully known.

The ban will include jail terms of up to three years for offenders. Traditional tobacco products are not affected.

"This means the production, manufacturing, import and export, sale, distribution and advertising related to e-cigarettes are banned," Ms Sitharaman told a news conference.

She said evidence from the US and India suggested some young people saw vaping as a "style statement".