NEW DELHI - India's former finance and defence minister Arun Jaitley passed away in New Delhi at the age of 66 on Saturday.

The member of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) nearly two weeks ago after he complained of breathing difficulties; he will be cremated at Nigambodh Ghat on Sunday.

Condolences poured in as Jaitley breathed his last with Indian premier Narendra Modi branding him as a valued friend.

"With the demise of Arun Jaitley Ji, I have lost a valued friend, whom I have had the honour of knowing for decades," Modi wrote.

Top Congress leaders also condoled the demise of Jaitley, with party chief Sonia Gandhi saying his contributions to public life will be remembered forever.

Dr Shashi Tharoor, another renowned member of the Congress also mourned the death of Jaitley, saying he enjoyed healthy mutual respect despite political differences.

https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1165164063648649216

Jaitley held the finance portfolio in Modi's government from 2014 through to this year but did not contest last polls owing to poor health.

The lawyer-turned-politician is a second consecutive loss to the ruling BJP as Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj breathed her last a few weeks ago.