Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has been forced to cancel a visit to the southern Indian state of Karnataka after contracting a gastrointestinal infection in New Delhi.
Söder, the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), was unable to travel to Karnataka, a spokesman for his office said on Monday.
Söder arrived in India on Saturday and conducted official appointments on Sunday, including a visit to an aid project for children from poor neighbourhoods that has received funding from Bavaria.
“In slums, there is only poverty, and no education,” said Söder. “We all had enormous luck and therefore have a duty to help others.”
However, the 58-year-old has been forced to cancel his trip to Karnataka due to illness. He will instead remain in his hotel in New Delhi before returning home on Tuesday night.
His delegation continued to the south-western state under the leadership of CSU politician Florian Herrmann, the leader of the Bavarian state chancellery.
Karnataka is a partner region of Bavaria. The regional capital, Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore, is often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley, renowned for its thriving high-tech industry and shopping scene.
Ahead of the trip, Söder expressed confidence that Bavaria and Germany could benefit from the establishment of a free trade zone between the European Union and India.
“In this world of customs chaos, we must send new signals in favour of joint free trade and the creation of joint free trade zones,” he said.
With a nod to India’s population of 1.4 billion, he called the country “a huge opportunity” for enhancing economic collaboration.
Söder’s CSU is set to enter the next German government as one of the partners in a three-way coalition.
Markus Soeder, Prime Minister of Bavaria, takes a stroll through a market in the Nizamuddin district during his trip to India, which will last several days. Peter Kneffel/dpa
DJ Kamal Mustafa
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