Flags fly at half-mast in India as country observes day of mourning following death of Queen

India is observing a national day of mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, with flags flying at half mast and all entertainment cancelled.  

This morning, Pakistan also announced a day of mourning across the country, which will be held tomorrow.

Indian flags on all government buildings and areas where they are usually displayed have been flying at half mast throughout the day.

The Indian government declared the one-day national mourning period on Friday, the day after the Queen’s death, ‘as a mark of respect to Her Majesty’.  

It proclaimed that during the period ‘the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on the day of mourning throughout India on all buildings where the National Flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day.’

The country’s ​President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences. 

They described the Queen as ‘a stalwart of our times; a compassionate personality’ adding she ‘provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people.’

The Indian national flag flies at half-mast on the ramparts of Red Fort, in Old Delhi, India

The Red Fort, home of the Mughal Emperors in Old Delhi which dates back to the 17th century

Flags were lowered at landmarks including the Red Fort, home of the Mughal Emperors in Old Delhi which dates back to the 17th century.

They also flew at half mast at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi and the Gauhati High court in Guwahati Assam.

Indians also paid their own personal tributes since the death of the Queen on Thursday.

Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik built a sculpture depicting the late Queen at the Bay of Bengal Sea’s Puri beach, near Bhubaneswar, eastern India.

A sand sculpture of the late Queen Elizabeth is seen at the Bay of Bengal Sea’s Puri beach

A sand sculpture of Late Queen Elizabeth II is seen at the Bay of Bengal Sea’s Puri beach as it is creating by sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik

As a former British colony, many Indians criticised the government’s decision to hold the day of mourning. 

‘So much for “decolonisation”!’ tweeted one, who blamed Prime Minister Modi and an MP from the ruling BJP party.

Others drew attention to the government’s recent efforts to remove remnants of the colonial past, which they labelled a contradiction.

Pakistan, also a British dominion prior to partition, is also set to mourn the British monarch in an official capacity tomorrow.

National flag flies at half mast at Gauhati High court in Guwahati Assam as one day state mourning is being observed in the country

Pakistan’s High Commission in London tweeted early on Sunday morning: ‘To express solidarity with the government & people of the United Kingdom on the sad demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Pakistan will observe a national day of mourning on 12 Sept. 2022. 

‘During the day, Pakistan’s flag will be lowered to half-mast throughout the country.’

Pakistani President Arif Alvi described the Queen as a ‘great and beneficent ruler’ who ‘would be remembered in golden words in the annals of world history’.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was ‘deeply grieved’ at the Queen’s passing. 

‘Pakistan joins the UK and other Commonwealth nations in mourning her death. My heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, people & government of the UK,’ he said.

 India and Pakistan are members of the Commonwealth, a political association of 56 member states which the Queen was head of and a title which has now been passed onto King Charles III.