Mr Modi said Mr Rawat was an outstanding soldier and 'true patriot' who had helped modernise the country's armed forces.
An eyewitness said he had seen passengers falling from the helicopter before the crash, and that one person had crawled out from the wreckage.
Mr Rawat was chief of the 1.3 million-strong army from 2017 to 2019 before his elevation to defence services chief, which analysts said was to improve co-ordination between the army, navy and air force.New Delhi is looking to increase its military effectiveness in the face of heightened tensions with China following deadly clashes in a disputed Himalayan region, as well as its longstanding conflict with neighbouring Pakistan.
Firemen and rescue workers stand next to the debris of an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter crash site in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, on 8 December, 2021.Mr Rawat came from a military family with several generations having served in the Indian armed forces.
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