New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): India has offered its profound condolences following the passing of former Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, affirming that the departed leader will always be remembered as a 'friend of India' for his role in bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries.

Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary at the Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA), Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) divisions of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), visited the Yemen Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday to sign the condolence book.

'Secretary (CPV and OIA), Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan, visited the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in New Delhi to sign the condolence book on the sad demise of the former President of the Republic of Yemen, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi,' the MEA stated in a post on social media platform X.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2062129930729918563?s=20

The ministry further noted, 'The Government of India expresses its sincere condolences to the family of the former President, and to the Government and people of the Republic of Yemen. Former President Hadi will be remembered as a friend of India who made significant contributions to strengthen the India-Yemen relationship.'

The former leader passed away on May 28 in Riyadh at the age of 80, according to reports from the Yemeni state-run broadcaster operating from Saudi Arabia.

The tenure of the late statesman was heavily intertwined with the protracted civil conflict and volatile political transition in Yemen, where he held the office of the presidency from 2012 to 2022.

Born on September 1, 1945, he climbed the ranks of the nation's military and political structures before being appointed Vice President of Yemen in 1994.

He subsequently assumed the presidency in 2012 under a Gulf-sponsored transition initiative that followed the stepping down of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Upon taking the helm, he initiated a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's defence and security frameworks.

However, the political transition faced severe disruption as Houthi forces moved southwards to seize major state infrastructure in Sanaa.

In January 2015, the President stepped down after Houthi fighters encircled the presidential residence and placed him under house arrest within the capital.

He subsequently managed to depart for Aden in February 2015, where he rescinded his resignation and appealed for international backing.

Following his request, a Saudi-led Arab coalition initiated a military operation against Houthi forces in March 2015, triggering a wider conflict, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

In a bid to consolidate factions opposing the Houthis and rejuvenate stalled diplomatic negotiations for a peaceful resolution, he handed over his executive authority in 2022 to an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council. (ANI)