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Headlines

Cabinet Committee on Security to have two women now

New Delhi, Sep 3
With appointment of Nirmala Sitharaman as the new Defence Minister on Sunday, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), will now have two women ministers.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is member of the CCS, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is responsible for decisions on external and internal security. Its other members are Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Sitharaman was on Sunday elevated as cabinet minister in the reshuffle and expansion of the council of ministers and given the defence portfolio.

She is the first full-time woman defence minister of the country after late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had twice held charge of defence portfolio - from December 1 to 21, 1975 and January 14, 1980 to January 15, 1982.


Woman as Defence Minister sends global message: Jaitley


Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday hailed appointment of Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the country's first, full-fledged Defence Minister, saying it sends "a message globally".

"It is great for the country, not just for the women. it also sends a message globally," said Jaitley, who had held charge of Defence after Manohar Parrikar left the post to become Goa Chief Minister earlier this year.

Noting that the Cabinet Committee on Security would now have two women ministers, with Sitharaman joining External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, he said: "Both ladies in CCS have established their competence, both are recognised as ladies with substance, who have earned a front-line position for themselves." 

Asked if women in combat maybe a reality with a woman as Defence Minister, Jaitley quipped: "That was one area in which I wasn't able to do much."

RSS welcomes Sitharaman's appointment as Defence Minister

 The RSS on Sunday welcomed the appointment of Nirmala Sitharaman as the Defence Minister, calling it a "good decision".

"It is a good decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We welcome her (Sitharaman)," senior RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya told reporters here.

Sitharaman was on Sunday promoted and appointed as India's Defence Minister in a surprise move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She became the second woman to head the Defence Ministry after Indira Gandhi when she was Prime Minister. Charge of Defence was currently with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.