His eldest daughter lit his funeral pyre at the crematorium in front of Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and senior members of Singh’s Congress Party.

Foreign dignitaries such as the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful were also in attendance.

Singh received full state honours in a ceremony that included a 21-gun salute.

Following his death on Thursday night, the government declared seven days of national mourning.

Paying tribute shortly after his death, Modi said Singh’s “wisdom and humility were always visible” during their interactions and that he had “made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives” as prime minister.

Opposition congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was also present at the funeral, said he had lost “a mentor and a guide”.

Among foreign tributes, US President Joe Biden said his country’s “unprecedented level of cooperation” with India would not have been possible without Singh’s “strategic vision and political courage.”

“He was a true statesman. A dedicated public servant. And above all, he was a kind and humble person”, Biden said in a statement.