DHAKA: India’s new prime minister Narendra Modi has postponed a visit to Japan which had been expected to take place early next month.

The foreign ministry said on Thursday, reports The Straits Times.

‘The dates we were looking at for the visit in early July will now be reworked after PM Modi wrote to PM (Shinzo) Abe,’ ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters in New Delhi.

Although no reason was given for the delay, reports in the Indian media said Modi wanted to push back his departure until after his government’s first budget which is expected to be introduced in parliament in the second week of July.

The spokesman said that Modi remains ‘very keen to visit Japan’ and has written to Abe to discuss alternative dates.

BDST: 2127 HRS, JUNE 19, 2014