New Delhi on Friday cancelled a trip by its sports minister to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, saying that Chinese authorities had denied accreditation and entry to athletes from India's Arunchal Pradesh state -- which is claimed by Beijing.

"China's action violates both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against competitors from member states," foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement, adding that the sports minister's trip to the event was cancelled.