Have lost a valued friend: Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Arun Jaitley as a "valued friend" whose insights and nuanced understanding of matters had "very few parallels", as he condoled the death of the senior BJP leader who was one of his close confidants for decades.

Modi, who is in the UAE on an official tour, said the former finance minister was full of life, blessed with wit, a great sense of humour and charisma.

Official sources said the Prime Minister spoke to the wife and son of Jaitley and expressed his condolences. Both of them insisted that he does not cancel his foreign tour.