Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness, according to a hospital statement.

A Hindu nationalist from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vajpayee had been hospitalised since June with a kidney infection and chest congestion.

Reports emerged on Thursday morning that Vajpayee was in a critical condition after top Indian politicians visited him in New Dehli's All India Institute of Medical Science.

"Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss," a statement from the hospital read on Thursday.

The government announced seven days of state morning to honour the former prime minister, who was admitted to hospital on June 11.

Credit by- AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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