Israel, Canada, Japan condole Vajpayee's demise

India mourned on Friday as former Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours at Smriti Sthal in Delhi. Following his demise, Israel and Canada also paid their tributes to the leader.

A statement posted on microblogging site Twitter by Canada Foreign Ministry reads, "Canada extends its sincerest condolences to the people of #India following the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who devoted his life to the benefit of his country."

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Israel's Foreign Ministry also condoled the demise as it described the leader "a genuine friend of Israel."

The ministry wrote on the Twitter, "He will always be remembered as a genuine friend of Israel. #AtalBihariVajpayee #Vajpayee."

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe also remembered Vajpayee as he called him a "good friend of Japan"

"On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, I would like to convey my sincerest condolences to the Government and people of India and the bereaved family. His Excellency Vajpayee visited Japan in 2001 as the then Prime Minister and made significant contributions to the friendship between our two countries as a good friend of Japan. It is him who established the cornerstone of Japan-India relations today."

Terming Vajpayee as an eminent leader of India, Abe added, "I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace."

India's 10th prime minister and true statesman took his last breath on Thursday as All India Institute of Medical Sciences announced the demise after being admitted there for almost a month.

Many international leaders and countries also mourned Vajpayee's death.

Along with national leaders, a string of foreign dignitaries including King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Sri Lanka's acting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella and former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai,were in the national capital to attend Vajpayee's last rites yesterday.

Vajpayee, who led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the BJP to become India's Prime Minister. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour in 2015.