Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, at the latters state funeral in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Standing in line with other world leaders at the famous Nippon Budokan arena, the prime minister offered a deep, Japanese-style bow to the memorial cenotaph of the Japan's longest-serving premier, while also clasping his hands in a traditional Indian-style Namaste greeting.
Earlier, in his opening remarks to Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Modi conveyed his personal loss as Abe was his dear friend.
"Today we are meeting in this hour of sorrow. The last time I came I had a long conversation with former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. India is missing Shinzo Abe and remembering him and Japan," said PM Modi during a bilateral meet with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.
Modi and Abe were noted to have a close personal relationship during the latter's term in office, and Indo-Japanese ties underwent a transformation during the period, with India and Japan forging an ever-closer strategic partnership -- largely due to shared threat perceptions regarding China's growing power.