Manmohan Singh remembers working with 'good friend' Abe to elevate ties

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Friday expressed sadness over the assassination of Japan's ex-premier and said during his tenure, they both worked to raise ties between the two countries to the level of global and strategic partnership.

In a letter to the Japanese Ambassador in India Satoshi Suzuki, Singh described the former Japanese PM as his friend.

"I am deeply saddened and shocked to learn about the tragic assassination of Former Prime Minister His Excellency Shinzo Abe. He was a good friend of mine. During my tenure as Prime Minister, we worked to raise both our countries' ties to the level of a global and strategic partnership. Our efforts elevated India - Japan relations to a qualitatively new level," Singh said in his letter to the Japanese Ambassador.

He also asked him to convey to the members of Abe's family and the people of Japan his deepest condolences on this sad occasion.

Abe, 67, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, was shot from behind in Nara in western Japan while giving a campaign speech. He was airlifted to a hospital but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.