Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Photo: VCG

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson offered sincere condolences on Friday to the Indian government and people, as well as to the family of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away at the age of 92.

Former Indian Prime Minister and veteran leader of India's main opposition Congress party Manmohan Singh died at 92 on Thursday after a prolonged illness, Indian health officials said.

Chinese FM spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Singh was a senior politician and renowned economist in India who made positive contributions to the development of China-India relations. 

During his tenure as Prime Minister, the two countries announced the establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership aimed at peace and prosperity, and reached an agreement on the political guiding principles for resolving border issues, Mao said. 

The Chinese side offers sincere condolences to the Indian government and people, as well as to Singh's family, the spokesperson said. 

Singh served two consecutive terms as prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014, leading a coalition government under the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

He had been considered the architect of India's economic liberalization in 1991 when he was the country's finance minister.

Singh, a renowned economist and statesman, had been staying away from politics in recent years due to health reasons and was not keeping well since the beginning of this year, the Xinhua report said. 

Global Times