Nirmala Sitharaman took over charge as defence minister of the country on Thursday in the presence of finance minister, Arun Jaitley who was present there to hand over the baton.
Now, Sitharaman has becomes the first full-time female defence minister. “My first job is to ensure that interest of soldiers of the armed forces standing at India’s toughest borders, safeguarding our motherland are being taken care off. Under the guidance of prime minister, I will serve the defence ministry to the fullest”.
Sitharaman was given the charge after recent cabinet reshuffle on Sunday. Earlier, Sitharaman was minister of state (Independent Charge) commerce.
After taking the charge, Sitharaman emphasized on ‘Make in India’ scheme, saying the nation will gain from what is created in India and ultimately those products will also find a global marketplace. She also thanked PM for vesting confidence and giving her such critical portfolio.
“Armed Forces’ families are a priority. It’s in their welfare that we ensure soldiers remain assured their interests being taken care of,” said the newly appointed Defence Minister.
