Foreign dignitaries & others mourn Sushma Swaraj's sad demise

Updated:6 years, 3 months ago

New Delhi, Aug 07 (ANI): Condolences began pouring in from foreign dignitaries and others following the demise of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who passed away due to cardiac arrest on Tuesday night. The 67-year-old BJP stalwart was admitted to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) following deterioration in her health. She passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Suri tweeted his condolences, describing Swaraj as an "inspirational leader". Terming Swaraj as one of India's most respected leaders, Ambassador of France to India Alexandre Ziegler lauded her for taking Indo-French bilateral ties to "new heights". Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani also tweeted, "I'm saddened to hear of the untimely demise of @SushmaSwaraj, Senior BJP leader & former Foreign Minister of India. My deepest condolences to the people & government of India on the loss of a distinguished public figure who represented her country with distinction & determination." Maldives' Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid also recalled his "good friend" Swaraj, describing her as a warm human being and the key architect of renewing bilateral ties between the two countries. "Sad and shocking news. A great leader and wonderful minister that inspired all of us who had the honour to serve under her leadership," India's Ambassador to US Harsh V Shringla also wrote on his Twitter handle. India's High Commissioner to Canada Vikas Swarup said he was stunned to hear Swaraj's demise and stressed that her legacy of making the ministry as "people-centric" will live on forever. Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also expressed his condolences.