Shimon Peres was real friend of India: Prakash Javadekar

He defended Israel like a hero from adversaries and at the same time reached out to them to have peace and largely succeeded in it, said Javadekar

Shimon Peres was a "visionary statesman" and a "great friend of India", HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday as a high-level Indian delegation paid tributes to former Israeli President who was laid to rest in the presence of leaders from over 70 countries.

Peres, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 93, served as two-time prime minister of Israel, minister of defence, foreign affairs, finance and transportation; and, until 2014, as president of the country.

"Peres was a visionary statesman. A leader who was a great friend of India. He defended Israel like a hero from adversaries and at the same time reached out to them to have peace and largely succeeded in it," Human Resource Development minister Javadekar said.

Javadekar also met all the three children of Peres, Zvia, Yoni and Chemi, to convey condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India.

Joint Secretary WANA division at MEA, Bala Bhaskar, also accompanied the HRD minister.

US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande and German President Joachim Gauck were among the scores of world leaders who have gathered here to pay their last respects to the leader in what is by far the largest gathering of foreign dignitaries in the history of Israel.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and former US president Bill Clinton were also among the attendees.