India's PM Modi reshuffles cabinet

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has added nine new faces in his Cabinet, reshuffling few others and cutting six non-performers and also including a first female defense minister.

All the nine new ministers were administered the oath of office by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, his official residence.

But there has been no change in the top three slots, with Rajnath Singh retaining the Home Ministry, Arun Jaitley the Finance Ministry and Sushma Swaraj the External Affairs Ministry.

Jaitley, who held the additional charge of the Defense Ministry, however, shed the military portfolio, making way for a new woman Defense Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician and member of parliament Nirmala Sitharaman takes the oath during the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on September 03, 2017. /AFP Photo

In fact, Sitharaman, 58, became only the second woman in the country to hold the post of defense minister after Indira Gandhi, the country's first woman prime minister. She earlier held the Commerce Ministry.

Another major change was implemented in the crucial Railway Ministry, which operates one of the world's largest train networks, ferrying over 12 million passengers daily.

Power Minister Piyush Goyal became the new Rail Minister, taking over from Suresh Prabhu who had last week offered to resign in the wake of two back-to-back rail accidents.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician and member of parliament Piyush Goyal takes the oath during the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on September 03, 2017. /AFP Photo

Prabhu, who exited as Railway Minister, became the new Commerce Minister, the Ministry that was held by Sitharaman.

Among the new ministers are a former police chief of Mumbai, Satya Pal Singh, retired career diplomat Hardeep Puri and two former bureaucrats, one of who was a former Home Secretary.

Earlier in the morning, Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah met the new ministers at the Prime Minister's residence and told them to "do a good job."

"I congratulate all those who have taken oath today. Their experience and wisdom will add immense value to the Council of Ministers," Modi said after the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets attendees during the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on September 3, 2017. /AFP Photo

Last week, at least six non-performing ministers resigned from the cabinet. The council of ministers will now have 76 ministers, up from 73. It can have a maximum 81 members.

This is said to be the last major cabinet reshuffle before the general elections in 2019.

Modi's ruling party also governs 18 of India's 29 states, either directly or in alliance with regional parties.

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Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency