A day after the gruesome assassination of Shinzo Abe, India observed a day of national mourning. The Indian national flag was hoisted at half-mast in various public buildings in national capital Delhi.
The tricolour was seen at half-mast at the Red Fort, Rashtrapati Bhavan which is the President's house, the Parliament, and at the North and South Blocks which house important government offices.
The former Prime Minister of Japan was shot dead by an assassin when he was delivering an election campaign speech on 8 July. The shooter was taken into custody at the spot. Shinzo Abe suffered heart failure after being shot, and was declared dead a few hours later.
Also watch: How Shinzo Abe transformed Indo-Japan ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi penned an emotional note following Abe's death. PM Modi said that the world lost a visionary leader, and he lost a friend. The Indian premier recounted that he had met Abe for the first time in 2007, and the two had developed a close bond. PM Modi credited Shinzo Abe for ensuring that Japan was a trusted ally in the creation of a new India.