NEW DELHI: Former Union minister Jaswant Singh passed away on Sunday morning. He was 82.

The news of his death was tweeted by Union defense minister Rajnath Singh, Indian media reported.

“Deeply pained by the passing away of veteran BJP leader & former Minister, Shri Jaswant Singh ji. He served the nation in several capacities including the charge of Raksha Mantri. He distinguished himself as an effective Minister and Parliamentarian,” Rajnath tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a series of tweets, condoled the death of the leader.

Singh was a retired officer of the Indian Army and was one of the founding members of the Bhartiya Janata Party.

He held the defense, external affairs and finance portfolios in Vajpayee government’s different ministries from 1996-2004.

He first served as the finance minister in the shortlived Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996.

He was appointed as external affairs minister in the next Vajpayee-led government (1998-2002). Later, he was once again given the charge of finance ministry in 2002.