The Defence Minister visited CDS Rawat's residence in Delhi on Wednesday after the IAF helicopter carrying him along with some senior defence officers crashed near Coonor in Tamil Nadu.
Expressing deep anguish over Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat's death in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, Rajnath Singh said his untimely demise is an irreparable loss to the armed forces and the country.
Singh in a tweet said, "Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu."
"His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our armed forces and the country," Rajnath Singh said.
Singh said General Rawat had served the country with exceptional courage and diligence.
"As the first Chief of Defence Staff he had prepared plans for jointness of our armed forces," he said.
"My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this accident. Praying for the speedy recovery of Gp Capt Varun Singh, who is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington," Singh said.