In his third stint as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s new Union Council of Ministers reflects a combination of continuity and change in key portfolios. While veterans like Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari have retained their heavyweight charges, some major realignments have also taken place.
Shah will continue as the powerful Home Minister, additionally keeping cooperation under his ambit. His long-time colleague Rajnath Singh soldiers on as the Defence Minister. However, in a notable move, Singh has also been handed the newly created Ministry of Military Ammunition to streamline indigenous production.
Gadkari remains the Transportation Tsar with Roads and Highways, while adding new infrastructure verticals of Shipping, Ports and Civil Aviation to his existing responsibilities. This is seen as an attempt to unlock efficiencies through integrated logistics planning.
The big cabinet reshuffle is the swapping of the crucial External Affairs and Finance portfolios between S. Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman. The experienced Sitharaman will now take charge of India’s global engagements, while former diplomat Jaishankar will helm the economy.
Among the new heavyweight inductions are former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan getting Agriculture and Rural Development, and former BJP president J.P. Nadda being given Health, Family Welfare and Fertilisers. Regional satrap H.D. Kumaraswamy has been rewarded with the Heavy Industries portfolio.
Other key ministers retaining their turf include Dharmendra Pradhan (Education), Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry), and Pralhad Joshi (Food and Consumer Affairs).
Notable absentees from the previous cabinet include Anurag Thakur, Smriti Irani and former ministers hailing from allies like Arvind Sawant, Ramdas Athawale and Anupriya Patel.
As Modi 3.0 sets course after its thumping electoral victory, the council of ministers seems a blend of experience and new energy to drive the government’s ambitious visions across sectors. All eyes will be on how the new team translates the agenda on the ground amid global headwinds
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