"He provided stable leadership to one of India's oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond boardrooms," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ratan Tata—a former chairman of Tata Group who led the Indian megacompany through multiple significant international acquisitions—died at age 86, the group announced Wednesday. Tata took over the conglomerate in 1991 and led it for 21 years.

Ratan Tata, the former Tata Group chairman who put a staid and sprawling Indian conglomerate on the global stage with a string of high-profile acquisitions, has died, the Tata Group said in a statement late on Wednesday.