The president of India has postponed a planned week-long visit to Ireland and Sweden.
According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), President K.R. Narayanan postponed the trip to Ireland and Sweden because of the upcoming general election to be held in Ireland.
Mr Narayanan had been due to pay a state visit to the two countries next month.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs however told ireland.comthe trip was not cancelled, but merely postponed.
"As far as we were concerned the visit was due to go ahead, but it was postponed because of a request from their end," she said.
The spokesperson said she didn’t know why the Indian president had pulled out of his planned visit to Ireland, but insisted "it has nothing to do with the general election".
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, President K.R. Narayanan will resume his state visit as soon as a mutually agreeable date is found.
Additional reporting by: AFP