New Delhi: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s scheduled visit to India later this month, has been cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances of the bushfires in Australia, diplomatic sources said.
Morrison was slated to pay a state visit to India from January 14 to 16
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Morrison and conveyed his heartfelt condolences on the damage to life and property in Australia due to severe and prolonged bushfires.
“He also offered India’s unstinted support to Australia and the Australian people, who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity,” according to an official statement.
Diplomatic Sources: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s scheduled visit to India from January 14 to 16, 2020, has been cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances of the bushfires in Australia. https://t.co/HegnK01mo6
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2020
Earlier in the day, Morrison said he is “inclined’ to cancel his visit to India scheduled for this month amid the worsening bushfire crisis in the country, local media reported.
“I’m inclined not to proceed on that visit. There are issues I need to resolve formally when working through issues of that nature. That is my inclination on that issue,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Morrison as saying.
Wildfires have wreaked havoc in parts of Australia for months.
The Australian Prime Minister was forced to cut short a holiday to Hawaii just before Christmas following the death of two volunteer firefighters. (ANI)
