Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed his predecessor Manmohan Singh as he mourned his death as a big loss to the nation. He asserted that Singh's commitment to the people and the country's development would always be respected.

Modi also recalled their professional interactions during Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister and his own as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. "

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to the former prime minister on Friday (December 27) as the country began a seven-day period of mourning for its “reluctant king”, a title the soft-spoken Singh earned during his first stint as the country's leader.