India will remember Abe as a trusted friend for years, says emotional PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe was a trusted friend of India, and will be remembered by the people for years to come. Abe, one of Japan's most important and influential leaders, was shot and killed on Friday in western Japan while giving a campaign address.

Speaking at the first Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture in this city, Modi paid tribute to Abe and said that the day is one of profound sorrow and unfathomable pain for him because he has lost a good friend.

"Shinzo Abe was not only my friend but a trusted friend of India," Modi said, adding that during Abe's regime, the India-Japan relationship reached new heights and carried forward a shared heritage.

The Prime Minister added that due to Abe's role in India's success story, he will endure in people's hearts for years. In a statement earlier in the day, Modi expressed his condolences for the death of the former Japanese prime minister and announced that India would observe a day of national mourning on July 9 to pay tribute to Abe.

According to Modi, Abe was a great leader, an amazing administrator, and a towering figure in world politics.

"My association with Mr. Abe goes back many years. I had 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," the Prime Minister had said.

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