In his first public engagement after returning from the G7 Summit in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday morning visited former finance minister Arun Jaitley’s family at his Kailash Colony residence here.

Modi spoke to Jaitley’s family over telephone immediately after his demise and he was reportedly requested to carry on with his pre-scheduled events.

After arriving in the national capital on Monday night, Modi on Tuesday morning visited Jaitley’s residence, where he offered floral tributes at his late friend’s photograph. He later sat with the bereaved family members offering his condolences.

Both the PM and Jaitley shared a long-standing relationship. Long before Jaitley joined the Union Cabinet in the last NDA regime, he worked closely with Modi for his re-election as Gujarat chief minister. BJP insiders say many of the campaign slogans for Modi as CM came from Jaitley.

Expectedly then, Modi became emotional while speaking about Jaitley. While addressing the Indian community in Bahrain, he said: “I can’t imagine that I am so far here while my friend has gone away. Some days ago, we lost our former external affairs minister Behen Sushmaji. Today my friend Arun went away.”

Both Jaitley and Swaraj’s death has left a void in the BJP. But all the more, the loss is being felt by Modi who shared a close bond with both. Speaking to the Indian community after Jaitley’s death, Modi couldn’t hide his emotions, “At a time when people are celebrating Janmashtami, I am mourning the death of my friend Arun.”