Manohar Parrikar takes charge as Defence Minister

Former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday took charge as the Union Defence Minister in the national capital.

"I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for showing confidence in me and giving me such an important and sensitive ministry. I know that Arun Jaitley, in spite of constraints has taken a lot of initiatives on many issues. Let me get a grip if the situation and assess it so that I can tell you my exact position on various issue," Parrikar told the media.

Parrikar, who tendered his resignation as the chief minister of Goa on Saturday, filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh earlier in the day, and is at present not member of any house in the parliament.

On Sunday, 21 new cabinet ministers were inducted in the first Cabinet expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government.

Besides Parrikar, former NDA minister Suresh Prabhu was given the Railway Ministry. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who earlier held the Defence portfolio as an additional charge, was given the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's additional charge.