India on Friday announced one-day national mourning over the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a global statesman who made an immense contribution to elevating bilateral relations.
“I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe. He was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator. He dedicated his life to making Japan and the world a better place,” Modi said in a set of tweets.
“As a mark of our deepest respect for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, a one-day national mourning shall be observed on 9 July 2022,” he said.
Abe made “an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership”, and “the whole of India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment”, he added.
“He was witty and insightful as always. Little did I know that this would be our last meeting. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the Japanese people,” he said.
Modi said his association with Abe went back many years. “I got to know him during my tenure as Gujarat CM and our friendship continued after I became PM. His sharp insights on economy and global affairs always made a deep impression on me,” he said.
