The AFL this week hosted representatives from one of India’s largest media conglomerates as the league continues to take strides towards building a serious footprint in the world’s second most populous country.

As Port Adelaide and Gold Coast prepare to resume hostilities in China later this month, officials from four clubs recently visited India as part of an AFL contingent that explored opportunities for games there in coming years. Essendon, Adelaide, Richmond and Greater Western Sydney were the four clubs represented.

While the league has ruled out the possibility of playing a game in India for premiership points next year, the AFL’s general manager of China and India, David Stevenson, said the trip had allayed fears from clubs about the possibility of health issues that could be suffered by their players on the subcontinent.

Essendon and Adelaide are among the clubs that have shown an interest in India. Credit:AAP

Discussions with former Indian cricket team and long-time Rajasthan Royals physiotherapist John Gloster highlighted to the clubs that with good management, stomach bugs need not be an issue in India.