Minister of Defence (India): Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox official post
{{Infobox official post
| post = {{big|Minister of Defence}}<br />''Rakshā Mantri''
| post = {{big|Minister of Defence}}<br />''Rakshā Mantrī''
| native_name =
| native_name =  
| insignia = Emblem of India.svg
| insignia = Ministry of Defence India.svg
| insigniasize = 50px
| insigniasize = 280px
| insigniacaption = [[Emblem of India]]
| insigniacaption = [[Emblem of India]]
| flag = Flag of India.svg
| flag = Flag of India.svg
Line 13: Line 13:
| flagborder = yes
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = [[Flag of India]]
| flagcaption = [[Flag of India]]
| image = Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in February 2020.jpg
| image = File:Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Defence at a webinar on August 04, 2022.jpg
| imagesize = 220px
| imagesize = 220px
| alt =  
| alt =  
| incumbent = [[Rajnath Singh]]
| incumbent = [[Rajnath Singh]]
| acting =  
| acting =  
| incumbentsince = 31 May 2019
| incumbentsince = 15 January 2023
| department = [[File:Flag of the Ministry of Defence of India.svg|25px|border|Ministry of Defence (India)]] [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]]
| department = [[File:Flag of the Ministry of Defence of India.svg|25px|border|Ministry of Defence (India)]] [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]]
| style = [[The Honourable]]
| style = [[The Honourable]]
Line 25: Line 25:
| abbreviation =  
| abbreviation =  
| member_of = Union Cabinet
| member_of = Union Cabinet
| reports_to = [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]<br />[[Parliament of India]]
| reports_to = [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]
| residence =  
| residence =  
| seat =  
| seat =  
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| precursor =  
| precursor =  
| formation = 15 August 1947
| formation = 15 August 1947
| first = [[Baldev Singh]]  
| first = [[Baldev Singh]]
| last =  
| last =  
| abolished =  
| abolished =  
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}}
}}
{{Politics of India}}
{{Politics of India}}
The '''Minister of Defence''' ('''''Rakshā Mantri''''') is the head of the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] and a high ranking minister of the [[Government of India]]. The Defence Minister is one of the most senior offices in the [[Union Council of Ministers]] as well as being a high-level minister in the union cabinet. The defence minister additionally serves as President of the [[Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses]], and as Chancellor of the [[Defence Institute of Advanced Technology]] and of the [[Indian National Defence University|National Defence University]].
The '''Minister of Defence''' ('''''Rakshā Mantrī''''') is the head of the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] and a high ranking minister of the [[Government of India]]. The Defence Minister is one of the most senior offices in the [[Union Council of Ministers]] as well as being a high-level minister in the union cabinet. The defence minister additionally serves as President of the [[Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses]], and as Chancellor of the [[Defence Institute of Advanced Technology]] and of the [[Indian National Defence University|National Defence University]].


They are often assisted by a '''Minister of State for Defence''' and less-commonly, the lower-ranked '''Deputy Minister of Defence'''.
They are often assisted by a '''Minister of State for Defence''' and less-commonly, the lower-ranked '''Deputy Minister of Defence'''.
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The first defence minister of independent India was [[Baldev Singh|Baldev Singh Chokkar]], who served in Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]'s cabinet during 1947–52. [[Rajnath Singh]] is the current defence minister of India.
The first defence minister of independent India was [[Baldev Singh|Baldev Singh Chokkar]], who served in Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]'s cabinet during 1947–52. [[Rajnath Singh]] is the current defence minister of India.


== List of Defence Ministers<ref name="elections-in">{{cite web|title=Ministry of Defence, List of Defence Ministers of India|url=https://elections.in/government/ministry-of-defence.html|access-date=13 February 2019|agency=Elections.in}}</ref> ==
== List of Defence Ministers ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! width="75" |Portrait
! class="unsortable" rowspan=2| Portrait
!Name
! rowspan=2| Name<br />{{small|(born-died)}}
! colspan="3" |Term of office
! colspan=3| Term of office
![[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]
! colspan=2 rowspan=2| Political party<br />{{small|(Alliance)}}
! colspan="2" |Party
! rowspan=2| Ministry
|- align="center"
|-
|1
! Took office
|[[File:Sardar Baldev Singh on the Greeneries of Indian Parliament (cropped).jpg|75px]]
! Left office
|[[Baldev Singh]]
! Time in office
|15 August 1947
|-
|13 May 1952
| 1
|{{ayd|15 August 1947|13 May 1952}}
| [[File:Sardar Baldev Singh on the Greeneries of Indian Parliament (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="7" |[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| {{sort|1=Singh, Baldev|2=[[Baldev Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1902–1961)}}
| rowspan="13" |[[Indian National Congress]]
| 15 August 1947
| rowspan="13" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| 13 May 1952
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|15 August 1947|13 May 1952}}
|2
|width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=13|
|[[File:Gopalaswamy Ayyangar.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="13"| [[Indian National Congress]]
|[[N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar]]
| [[First Nehru ministry|Nehru I]]–[[Second Nehru ministry|II]]
|13 May 1952
|-
|10 February 1953
| 2
|{{ayd|13 May 1952|10 February 1953}}
| [[File:Gopalaswamy Ayyangar.jpg|75px]]
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Ayyangar, N.|2=[[N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar]]}}<br />{{small|(1882–1953)}}
|3
| 13 May 1952
|[[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
| 10 February 1953
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| {{ayd|13 May 1952|10 February 1953}}
|10 February 1953
| [[Second Nehru ministry|Nehru II]]
|10 January 1955
|-
|{{ayd|10 February 1953|10 January 1955}}
| 3
|- align="center"
| [[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
|4
| {{sort|1=Nehru, Jawaharlal|2=[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]}}<br />{{small|(1889–1964)}}
|[[File:Kailash Nath Katju.jpg|75px]]
| 10 February 1953
|[[Kailash Nath Katju]]
| 10 January 1955
|10 January 1955
| {{ayd|10 February 1953|10 January 1955}}
|30 January 1957
| [[Second Nehru ministry|Nehru II]]
|{{ayd|10 January 1955|30 January 1957}}
|-
|- align="center"
| 4
|(3)
| [[File:Kailash Nath Katju.jpg|75px]]
|[[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
| {{sort|1=Katju, Kailash|2=[[Kailash Nath Katju]]}}<br />{{small|(1887–1968)}}
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| 10 January 1955
|30 January 1957
| 30 January 1957
|17 April 1957
| {{ayd|10 January 1955|30 January 1957}}
|{{ayd|10 January 1957|17 April 1957}}
| [[Second Nehru ministry|Nehru II]]
|- align="center"
|-
|5
| (3)
|[[File:Krishna Menon.jpg|75px]]
| [[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
|[[V. K. Krishna Menon]]
| {{sort|1=Nehru, Jawaharlal|2=[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]}}<br />{{small|(1889–1964)}}
|17 April 1957
| 30 January 1957
|31 October 1962
| 17 April 1957
|{{ayd|17 April 1957|31 October 1962}}
| {{ayd|10 January 1955|17 April 1957}}
|- align="center"
| [[Second Nehru ministry|Nehru II]]–[[Third Nehru ministry|III]]
|(3)
|-
|[[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
| 5
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| [[File:Krishna Menon.jpg|75px]]
|31 October 1962
| {{sort|1=Menon, V.|2=[[V. K. Krishna Menon]]}}<br />{{small|(1896–1974)}}
|14 November 1962
| 17 April 1957
|{{ayd|31 October 1962|14 November 1962}}
| 31 October 1962
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|17 April 1957|31 October 1962}}
|6
| [[Third Nehru ministry|Nehru III]]–[[Fourth Nehru ministry|IV]]
|[[File:Y B Chavan (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|-
|[[Yashwantrao Chavan]]
| (3)
|14 November 1962
| [[File:Jnehru.jpg|75px]]
|13 November 1966
| {{sort|1=Nehru, Jawaharlal|2=[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]}}<br />{{small|(1889–1964)}}
|{{ayd|14 November 1962|13 November 1966}}
| 31 October 1962
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru|Nehru]]<br/>[[Lal Bahadur Shastri|Shastri]]<br/>[[Indira Gandhi]]
| 14 November 1962
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|31 October 1962|14 November 1962}}
|7
| [[Fourth Nehru ministry|Nehru IV]]
|[[File:Sardar Swaran Singh.jpg|75px]]
|-
|[[Swaran Singh]]
| 6
|13 November 1966
| [[File:Y B Chavan (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|27 June 1970
| {{sort|1=Chavan, Yashwantrao|2=[[Yashwantrao Chavan]]}}<br />{{small|(1913–1984)}}
|{{ayd|13 November 1966|27 June 1970}}
| 14 November 1962
| rowspan="5" |[[Indira Gandhi]]
| 13 November 1966
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|14 November 1962|13 November 1966}}
|8
| [[Fourth Nehru ministry|Nehru IV]]<br />[[First Nanda ministry|Nanda I]]<br />[[Shastri ministry|Shastri]]<br />[[Second Nanda ministry|Nanda II]]<br />[[First Indira Gandhi ministry|Gandhi I]]
|[[File:Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|-
|[[Jagjivan Ram]]
| 7
|27 June 1970
|  
|10 October 1974
| {{sort|1=Singh, Swaran|2=[[Swaran Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1907–1994)}}
|{{ayd|27 June 1970|10 October 1974}}
| 13 November 1966
|- align="center"
| 27 June 1970
|(7)
| {{ayd|13 November 1966|27 June 1970}}
|[[File:Sardar Swaran Singh.jpg|75px]]
| [[First Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi I]]
|[[Swaran Singh]]
|-
|10 October 1974
| 8
|1 December 1975
| [[File:Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|{{ayd|10 October 1974|1 December 1975}}
| {{sort|1=Ram, Jagjivan|2=[[Jagjivan Ram]]}}<br />{{small|(1908–1986)}}
|- align="center"
| 27 June 1970
|9
| 10 October 1974
|[[File:Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg|75px]]
| {{ayd|27 June 1970|10 October 1974}}
|[[Indira Gandhi]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| [[First Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi I]]–[[Second Indira Gandhi ministry|II]]
|1 December 1975
|-
|20 December 1975
| (7)
|{{ayd|1 December 1975|20 December 1975}}
|
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Singh, Swaran|2=[[Swaran Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1907–1994)}}
|10
| 10 October 1974
|[[File:Bansi Lal.jpg|75px]]
| 1 December 1975
|[[Bansi Lal]]
| {{ayd|10 October 1974|1 December 1975}}
|21 December 1975
| [[Second Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi II]]
|24 March 1977
|-
|{{ayd|20 December 1975|24 March 1977}}
| 9
|- align="center"
| [[File:Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg|75px]]
|(8)
| {{sort|1=Gandhi, Indira|2=[[Indira Gandhi]]}}<br />{{small|(1917–1984)}}
|[[File:Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| 1 December 1975
|[[Jagjivan Ram]]
| 20 December 1975
|24 March 1977
| {{ayd|1 December 1975|20 December 1975}}
|28 July 1979
| [[Second Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi II]]
|{{ayd|24 March 1977|28 July 1979}}
|-
|[[Morarji Desai]]
| 10
|[[Janata Party]]
|
|style="background-color: {{party color|Janata Party}}" |
| {{sort|1=Lal, Bansi|2=[[Bansi Lal]]}}<br />{{small|(1927–2006)}}
|- align="center"
| 21 December 1975
|11
| 24 March 1977
|[[File:Chidambaram Subramaniam.jpg|75px]]
| {{ayd|20 December 1975|24 March 1977}}
|[[Chidambaram Subramaniam]]
| [[Second Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi II]]
|28 July 1979
|-
|14 January 1980
| (8)
|{{ayd|28 July 1979|14 January 1980}}
| [[File:Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Charan Singh]]
| {{sort|1=Ram, Jagjivan|2=[[Jagjivan Ram]]}}<br />{{small|(1908–1986)}}
|[[Indian National Congress (U)]]
| 24 March 1977
|style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress (U)}}" |
| 28 July 1979
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|24 March 1977|28 July 1979}}
|(9)
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Party}}"|
|[[File:Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg|75px]]
| [[Janata Party]]
|[[Indira Gandhi]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| [[Premiership of Morarji Desai|Desai]]
|14 January 1980
|-
|15 January 1982
| 11
|{{ayd|14 January 1980|15 January 1982}}
| [[File:Chidambaram Subramaniam.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Indira Gandhi]]
| {{sort|1=Subramaniam, Chidambaram|2=[[Chidambaram Subramaniam]]}}<br />{{small|(1910–2000)}}
| rowspan="7" |[[Indian National Congress]]
| 28 July 1979
| rowspan="7" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| 14 January 1980
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|28 July 1979|14 January 1980}}
|12
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress (Urs)}}"|
|[[File:R Venkataraman.jpg|75px]]
| [[Indian National Congress (Urs)]]
|[[R Venkataraman]]
| [[Charan Singh ministry|C. Singh]]
|15 January 1982
|-
|2 August 1984
| (9)
|{{ayd|15 January 1982|2 August 1984}}
| [[File:Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg|75px]]
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Gandhi, Indira|2=[[Indira Gandhi]]}}<br />{{small|(1917–1984)}}
|13
| 14 January 1980
|[[File:Shankarrao Chavan 2007 stamp of India (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| 15 January 1982
|[[Shankarrao Chavan]]
| {{ayd|14 January 1980|15 January 1982}}
|2 August 1984
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=7|
|31 December 1984
| rowspan="7"| [[Indian National Congress]]
|{{ayd|2 August 1984|31 December 1984}}
| rowspan="2"| [[Third Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi III]]
|[[Indira Gandhi]]<br/>[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
|-
|- align="center"
| 12
|14
| [[File:R Venkataraman.jpg|75px]]
|[[File:Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg|88x88px]]
| {{sort|1=Venkataraman, Ramaswamy|2=[[Ramaswamy Venkataraman]]}}<br />{{small|(1910–2009)}}
|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| 15 January 1982
|1 January 1985
| 2 August 1984
|25 September 1985
| {{ayd|15 January 1982|2 August 1984}}
|{{ayd|1 January 1985|25 September 1985}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
| 13
|- align="center"
| [[File:Shankarrao Chavan 2007 stamp of India (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|15
| {{sort|1=Chavan, Shankarrao|2=[[Shankarrao Chavan]]}}<br />{{small|(1920–2004)}}
|[[File:Rajiv Gandhi (1987).jpg|75px]]
| 2 August 1984
|[[Rajiv Gandhi]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| 31 December 1984
|25 September 1985
| {{ayd|2 August 1984|31 December 1984}}
|24 January 1987
| [[Third Indira Gandhi ministry|I. Gandhi III]]<br />[[Rajiv Gandhi ministry|R. Gandhi]]
|{{ayd|30 December 1984|25 September 1985}}
|-
|- align="center"
| 14
|16
| [[File:P. V. Narasimha Rao.JPG|83x83px]]
|[[File:Visit of Vishwanath Pratap Sing, Indian Minister for Trade, to the CEC (cropped).jpg|101x101px]]
| {{sort|1=Rao, P.|2=[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]}}<br />{{small|(1921–2004)}}
|[[V. P. Singh]]
| 1 January 1985
|24 January 1987
| 25 September 1985
|12 April 1987
| {{ayd|1 January 1985|25 September 1985}}
|{{ayd|24 January 1987|12 April 1987}}
| rowspan="4" | [[Rajiv Gandhi ministry|R. Gandhi]]
|- align="center"
|-
|17
| 15
|[[File:Shri K.C Pant (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[File:Rajiv Gandhi (1987).jpg|75px]]
|[[K. C. Pant]]
| {{sort|1=Gandhi, Rajiv|2=[[Rajiv Gandhi]]}}<br />{{small|(1944–1991)}}
|13 April 1987
| 25 September 1985
|1 December 1989
| 24 January 1987
|{{ayd|13 April 1987|1 December 1989}}
| {{ayd|30 December 1984|25 September 1985}}
|- align="center"
|-
|(16)
| 16
|[[File:Visit of Vishwanath Pratap Sing, Indian Minister for Trade, to the CEC (cropped).jpg|101x101px]]
| [[File:V. P. Singh (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[V. P. Singh]]{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| {{sort|1=Singh, Vishwanath|2=[[Vishwanath Pratap Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1930–2008)}}
|2 December 1989
| 24 January 1987
|10 November 1990
| 12 April 1987
|{{ayd|2 December 1989|10 November 1990}}
| {{ayd|24 January 1987|12 April 1987}}
|[[V. P. Singh]]
|-
|[[Janata Dal]]
| 17
|style="background-color: {{party color|Janata Dal}}" |
| [[File:Shri K.C Pant (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Pant, K.|2=[[K. C. Pant]]}}<br />{{small|(1931–2012)}}
|18
| 13 April 1987
|[[File:Chandra Shekhar Singh.jpg|75px]]
| 1 December 1989
|[[Chandra Shekhar]]{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| {{ayd|13 April 1987|1 December 1989}}
|10 November 1990
|-
|21 June 1991
| (16)
|{{ayd|10 November 1990|21 June 1991}}
| [[File:V. P. Singh (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Chandra Shekhar]]
| {{sort|1=Singh, Vishwanath|2=[[Vishwanath Pratap Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1930–2008)}}
|[[Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)]]
| 2 December 1989
| style="background-color: {{party color|Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)}}" |
| 10 November 1990
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|2 December 1989|10 November 1990}}
|(14)
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Dal}}"|
|[[File:Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg|88x88px]]
| [[Janata Dal]]<br />{{small|([[National Front (India)|National Front]])}}
|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh ministry|V. Singh]]
|21 June 1991
|-
|26 June 1991
| 18
|{{ayd|21 June 1991|26 June 1991}}
| [[File:Chandra Shekhar Singh.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| {{sort|1=Shekhar, Chandra|2=[[Chandra Shekhar]]}}<br />{{small|(1927–2007)}}
| rowspan="3" |[[Indian National Congress]]
| 10 November 1990
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| 21 June 1991
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|10 November 1990|21 June 1991}}
|19
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)}}"|
|[[File:Sharad Pawar.jpg|87x87px]]
| [[Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)|Samajwadi Janata Party]]
|[[Sharad Pawar]]
| [[Chandra Shekhar ministry|Shekhar]]
|26 June 1991
|-
|6 March 1993
| (14)
|{{ayd|26 June 1991|6 March 1993}}
| [[File:P. V. Narasimha Rao.JPG|83x83px]]
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Rao, P.|2=[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]}}<br />{{small|(1921–2004)}}
|(14)
| 21 June 1991
|[[File:Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg|88x88px]]
| 26 June 1991
|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]<br />{{small|[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]}}
| {{ayd|21 June 1991|26 June 1991}}
|6 March 1993
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=3|
|16 May 1996
| rowspan="3"| [[Indian National Congress]]
|{{ayd|6 March 1993|16 May 1996}}
| rowspan="3"| [[Rao ministry|Rao]]
|- align="center"
|-
|20
| 19
|
| [[File:Sharad Pawar, Minister of AgricultureCrop.jpg|75px]]
|[[Pramod Mahajan]]
| {{sort|1=Pawar, Sharad|2=[[Sharad Pawar]]}}<br />{{small|(born 1940)}}
|16 May 1996
| 26 June 1991
|1 June 1996
| 6 March 1993
|{{ayd|16 May 1996|1 June 1996}}
| {{ayd|26 June 1991|6 March 1993}}
|[[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
|-
|[[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| (14)
| style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| [[File:P. V. Narasimha Rao.JPG|83x83px]]
|- align="center"
| {{sort|1=Rao, P.|2=[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]}}<br />{{small|(1921–2004)}}
|21
| 6 March 1993
|[[File:Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri.Mulayam Singh Yadav , addressing at the National Development Council, New Delhi on December 9, 2006 (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| 16 May 1996
|[[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]
| {{ayd|6 March 1993|16 May 1996}}
|1 June 1996
|-
|19 March 1998
| 20
|{{ayd|1 June 1996|19 March 1998}}
|
|[[H. D. Deve Gowda|Deve Gowda]]<br/>[[I. K. Gujral]]
| {{sort|1=Mahajan, Pramod|2=[[Pramod Mahajan]]}}<br />{{small|(1949–2006)}}
|[[Samajwadi Party]]
| 16 May 1996
| style="background-color: {{party color|Samajwadi Party}}" |
| 1 June 1996
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|16 May 1996|1 June 1996}}
|22
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}"|
|[[File:George Fernandes (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|[[George Fernandes]]
| [[First Vajpayee ministry|Vajpayee I]]
|19 March 1998
|-
|16 March 2001
| 21
|{{ayd|19 March 1998|16 March 2001}}
| [[File:Mulayam Singh Yadav (28993165375).jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| {{sort|1=Yadav, Mulayam |2=[[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]}}<br />{{small|(born 1939)}}
|[[Samata Party]]
| 1 June 1996
| style="background-color: {{party color|Samata Party}}" |
| 19 March 1998
|- align="center"
| {{ayd|1 June 1996|19 March 1998}}
|23
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Samajwadi Party}}"|
|[[File:Jaswant Singh.jpg|75px]]
| [[Samajwadi Party]]
|[[Jaswant Singh]]
| [[Deve Gowda ministry|Gowda]]<br />[[Gujral ministry|Gujral]]
|16 March 2001
|-
|21 October 2001
| 22
|{{ayd|16 March 2001|21 October 2001}}
| [[File:George Fernandes (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| {{sort|1=Fernandes, George|2=[[George Fernandes]]}}<br />{{small|(1930–2019)}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| 19 March 1998
|- align="center"
| 16 March 2001
|(22)
| {{ayd|19 March 1998|16 March 2001}}
|[[File:George Fernandes (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Samata Party}}"|
|[[George Fernandes]]
| [[Samata Party]]
|21 October 2001
| [[Second Vajpayee ministry|Vajpayee II]]–[[Third Vajpayee ministry|III]]
|22 May 2004
|-
|{{ayd|21 October 2001|22 May 2004}}
| 23
|[[Janata Dal (United)]]
| [[File:Jaswant Singh.jpg|75px]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Janata Dal (United)}}" |
| {{sort|1=Singh, Jaswant|2=[[Jaswant Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(1938–2020)}}
|- align="center"
| 16 March 2001
|24
| 21 October 2001
|[[File:Pranab Mukherjee Portrait.jpg|105x105px]]
| {{ayd|16 March 2001|21 October 2001}}
|[[Pranab Mukherjee]]
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}"|
|22 May 2004
| [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|26 October 2006
| rowspan="2"| [[Third Vajpayee ministry|Vajpayee III]]
|{{ayd|22 May 2004|26 October 2006}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Manmohan Singh]]
| (22)
| rowspan="2" |[[Indian National Congress]]
| [[File:George Fernandes (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
| {{sort|1=Fernandes, George|2=[[George Fernandes]]}}<br />{{small|(1930–2019)}}
|-align="center"
| 21 October 2001
|25
| 22 May 2004
|[[File:A. K. Antony.jpg|75px]]
| {{ayd|21 October 2001|22 May 2004}}
|[[A. K. Antony]]
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Janata Dal (United)}}"|
|26 October 2006
| [[Janata Dal (United)]]
|26 May 2014
|-
|{{ayd|26 October 2006|26 May 2014}}
| 24
|- align="center"
| [[File:Pranab Mukherjee-World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2009 crop(2).jpg|75px]]
|26
| {{sort|1=Mukherjee, Pranab|2=[[Pranab Mukherjee]]}}<br />{{small|(1935–2020)}}
|[[File:The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg|75px]]
| 22 May 2004
|[[Arun Jaitley]]
| 26 October 2006
|26 May 2014
| {{ayd|22 May 2004|26 October 2006}}
|9 November 2014
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" rowspan=2|
|{{ayd|26 May 2014|9 November 2014}}
| rowspan="2"| [[Indian National Congress]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Narendra Modi]]
| [[First Manmohan Singh ministry|M. Singh I]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|-
| rowspan="5" style="background-color: {{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" |
| 25
|- align="center"
| [[File:A. K. Antony.jpg|75px]]
|27
| {{sort|1=Antony, A.|2=[[A. K. Antony]]}}<br />{{small|(born 1940)}}
|[[File:The official photograph of the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar.jpg|107x107px]]
| 26 October 2006
|[[Manohar Parrikar]]
| 26 May 2014
|9 November 2014
| {{ayd|26 October 2006|26 May 2014}}
|13 March 2017
| [[First Manmohan Singh ministry|M. Singh I]]–[[Second Manmohan Singh ministry|II]]
|{{ayd|9 November 2014|13 March 2017}}
|-
|-align="center"
| 26
|(26)
| [[File:The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg|75px]]
|[[File:The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg|75px]]
| {{sort|1=Jaitley, Arun|2=[[Arun Jaitley]]}}<br />{{small|(1952–2019)}}
|[[Arun Jaitley]]
| 26 May 2014
|13 March 2017
| 9 November 2014
|3 September 2017
| {{ayd|26 May 2014|9 November 2014}}
|{{ayd|13 March 2017|3 September 2017}}
| width="4px" bgcolor="{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}" rowspan=5|
|-align="center"
| rowspan="5"|  [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|28
| rowspan="4"| [[First Modi ministry|Modi I]]
|[[File:Nirmala Sitharaman in May 2017.jpg|100x100px]]
|-
|[[Nirmala Sitharaman]]
| 27
|3 September 2017
| [[File:The official photograph of the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar.jpg|75px]]
|30 May 2019
| {{sort|1=Parrikar, Manohar|2=[[Manohar Parrikar]]}}<br />{{small|(1955–2019)}}
|{{ayd|3 September 2017|30 May 2019}}
| 9 November 2014
|-align="center"
| 13 March 2017
|29
| {{ayd|9 November 2014|13 March 2017}}
|[[File:Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.jpg|105x105px]]
|-
|[[Rajnath Singh]]
| (26)
|30 May 2019
| [[File:The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg|75px]]
|''Incumbent''
| {{sort|1=Jaitley, Arun|2=[[Arun Jaitley]]}}<br />{{small|(1952–2019)}}
|{{ayd|30 May 2019}}
| 13 March 2017
| 3 September 2017
| {{ayd|13 March 2017|3 September 2017}}
|-
| 28
| [[File:Nirmala Sitharaman addressing at the inauguration of the 2nd Edition of the Global Exhibition on Services-2016 (GES), at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| {{sort|1=Sitharaman, Nirmala|2=[[Nirmala Sitharaman]]}}<br />{{small|(born 1959)}}
| 3 September 2017
| 30 May 2019
| {{ayd|3 September 2017|30 May 2019}}
|-
| 29
| [[File:Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in February 2020.jpg|75px]]
| {{sort|1=Singh, Rajnath|2=[[Rajnath Singh]]}}<br />{{small|(born 1951)}}
| 30 May 2019
| ''Incumbent''
| {{ayd|30 May 2019}}
| [[Second Modi ministry|Modi II]]
|}
|}


Line 406: Line 388:
! colspan="2" | Term
! colspan="2" | Term
! Years
! Years
|- align="center"
| rowspan="2" |[[M. M. Pallam Raju]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Pallam Raju.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Indian National Congress]]
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" width="4px" |
|29 January 2006
|22 May 2009
|3 years, 113 days
|- align="center"
|28 May 2009
|28 October 2012
|3 years, 153 days
|-align=center
|-align=center
|[[Rao Inderjit Singh]]
|[[Rao Inderjit Singh]]
Line 435: Line 429:


==See also==
==See also==
{{commons category|Ministers of Defence of India}}
 
*[[Ministry of Defence (India)]]
*[[Ministry of Defence (India)]]
* [[Defence ministers]]
* [[Defence ministers]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Defence Ministers of State |url=http://mod.gov.in/former-raksha-rajya-mantri-0 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Ministry of Defence GOI |language=en}}</ref>{{Defence Ministers of India}}
 
{{Defence Ministers of India}}
{{Heads of the Ministries of the Government of India}}
{{Heads of the Ministries of the Government of India}}
{{Military of India}}
{{Military of India}}
Line 450: Line 442:


{{DEFAULTSORT:Defence_(India) Minister_of_}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Defence_(India) Minister_of_}}
[[Category:Defence Ministers of India| ]]
[[Category:Defence Ministers of India| ]]  
[[Category:Union ministers of India]]
[[Category:Union ministers of India]]
[[Category:Lists of government ministers of India]]
[[Category:Lists of government ministers of India]]

Latest revision as of 13:21, 22 July 2023


Minister of Defence
Rakshā Mantrī
Ministry of Defence India.svg
Emblem of India
Flag of India.svg
Flag of India
Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Defence at a webinar on August 04, 2022.jpg
Incumbent
Rajnath Singh
since 15 January 2023
Ministry of Defence (India) Ministry of Defence
StyleThe Honourable
Member ofUnion Cabinet
Reports toPrime Minister
AppointerPresident
on the advice of the Prime Minister
Term length5 years
Formation15 August 1947
First holderBaldev Singh
DeputyAjay Bhatt
Minister of State
Websitemod.gov.in
India
Emblem of India.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
India
Federal government
Legislature
Parliament of India
Executive
Judiciary
Elections
  • General elections
Political parties
National coalitions
Federalism

The Minister of Defence (Rakshā Mantrī) is the head of the Ministry of Defence and a high ranking minister of the Government of India. The Defence Minister is one of the most senior offices in the Union Council of Ministers as well as being a high-level minister in the union cabinet. The defence minister additionally serves as President of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, and as Chancellor of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology and of the National Defence University.

They are often assisted by a Minister of State for Defence and less-commonly, the lower-ranked Deputy Minister of Defence.

The first defence minister of independent India was Baldev Singh Chokkar, who served in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet during 1947–52. Rajnath Singh is the current defence minister of India.

List of Defence Ministers[edit]

# Portrait Name Term of office Prime Minister Party
1 Sardar Baldev Singh on the Greeneries of Indian Parliament (cropped).jpg Baldev Singh 15 August 1947 13 May 1952 4 years, 272 days Jawaharlal Nehru Indian National Congress
2 Gopalaswamy Ayyangar.jpg N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar 13 May 1952 10 February 1953 273 days
3 Jnehru.jpg Jawaharlal Nehru
Prime Minister 		10 February 1953 10 January 1955 1 year, 334 days
4 Kailash Nath Katju.jpg Kailash Nath Katju 10 January 1955 30 January 1957 2 years, 20 days
(3) Jnehru.jpg Jawaharlal Nehru
Prime Minister 		30 January 1957 17 April 1957 97 days
5 Krishna Menon.jpg V. K. Krishna Menon 17 April 1957 31 October 1962 5 years, 197 days
(3) Jnehru.jpg Jawaharlal Nehru
Prime Minister 		31 October 1962 14 November 1962 14 days
6 Y B Chavan (cropped).jpg Yashwantrao Chavan 14 November 1962 13 November 1966 3 years, 364 days Nehru
Shastri
Indira Gandhi
7 File:Sardar Swaran Singh.jpg Swaran Singh 13 November 1966 27 June 1970 3 years, 226 days Indira Gandhi
8 Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg Jagjivan Ram 27 June 1970 10 October 1974 4 years, 105 days
(7) File:Sardar Swaran Singh.jpg Swaran Singh 10 October 1974 1 December 1975 1 year, 52 days
9 Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg Indira Gandhi
Prime Minister 		1 December 1975 20 December 1975 19 days
10 File:Bansi Lal.jpg Bansi Lal 21 December 1975 24 March 1977 1 year, 94 days
(8) Jagjivan Ram stamp (cropped).jpg Jagjivan Ram 24 March 1977 28 July 1979 2 years, 126 days Morarji Desai Janata Party
11 Chidambaram Subramaniam.jpg Chidambaram Subramaniam 28 July 1979 14 January 1980 170 days Charan Singh Indian National Congress (U)
(9) Indira Gandhi 1977.jpg Indira Gandhi
Prime Minister 		14 January 1980 15 January 1982 2 years, 1 day Indira Gandhi Indian National Congress
12 R Venkataraman.jpg R Venkataraman 15 January 1982 2 August 1984 2 years, 200 days
13 Shankarrao Chavan 2007 stamp of India (cropped).jpg Shankarrao Chavan 2 August 1984 31 December 1984 151 days Indira Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
14 Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg P. V. Narasimha Rao 1 January 1985 25 September 1985 267 days Rajiv Gandhi
15 Rajiv Gandhi (1987).jpg Rajiv Gandhi
Prime Minister 		25 September 1985 24 January 1987 269 days
16 Visit of Vishwanath Pratap Sing, Indian Minister for Trade, to the CEC (cropped).jpg V. P. Singh 24 January 1987 12 April 1987 78 days
17 Shri K.C Pant (cropped).jpg K. C. Pant 13 April 1987 1 December 1989 2 years, 232 days
(16) Visit of Vishwanath Pratap Sing, Indian Minister for Trade, to the CEC (cropped).jpg V. P. SinghPrime Minister 2 December 1989 10 November 1990 343 days V. P. Singh Janata Dal
18 Chandra Shekhar Singh.jpg Chandra ShekharPrime Minister 10 November 1990 21 June 1991 223 days Chandra Shekhar Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)
(14) Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg P. V. Narasimha Rao
Prime Minister 		21 June 1991 26 June 1991 5 days P. V. Narasimha Rao Indian National Congress
19 Sharad Pawar.jpg Sharad Pawar 26 June 1991 6 March 1993 1 year, 253 days
(14) Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg P. V. Narasimha Rao
Prime Minister 		6 March 1993 16 May 1996 3 years, 71 days
20 Pramod Mahajan 16 May 1996 1 June 1996 16 days Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bharatiya Janata Party
21 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri.Mulayam Singh Yadav , addressing at the National Development Council, New Delhi on December 9, 2006 (cropped).jpg Mulayam Singh Yadav 1 June 1996 19 March 1998 1 year, 291 days Deve Gowda
I. K. Gujral 		Samajwadi Party
22 George Fernandes (cropped).jpg George Fernandes 19 March 1998 16 March 2001 2 years, 362 days Atal Bihari Vajpayee Samata Party
23 Jaswant Singh.jpg Jaswant Singh 16 March 2001 21 October 2001 219 days Bharatiya Janata Party
(22) George Fernandes (cropped).jpg George Fernandes 21 October 2001 22 May 2004 2 years, 214 days Janata Dal (United)
24 Pranab Mukherjee Portrait.jpg Pranab Mukherjee 22 May 2004 26 October 2006 2 years, 157 days Manmohan Singh Indian National Congress
25 A. K. Antony.jpg A. K. Antony 26 October 2006 26 May 2014 7 years, 212 days
26 The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg Arun Jaitley 26 May 2014 9 November 2014 167 days Narendra Modi Bharatiya Janata Party
27 The official photograph of the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar.jpg Manohar Parrikar 9 November 2014 13 March 2017 2 years, 124 days
(26) The official photograph of the Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley.jpg Arun Jaitley 13 March 2017 3 September 2017 174 days
28 Nirmala Sitharaman in May 2017.jpg Nirmala Sitharaman 3 September 2017 30 May 2019 1 year, 269 days
29 Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.jpg Rajnath Singh 30 May 2019 Incumbent 5 years, 360 days

List of Ministers of State[edit]

Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence
Minister of state Portrait Political party Term Years
M. M. Pallam Raju Pallam Raju.jpg Indian National Congress 29 January 2006 22 May 2009 3 years, 113 days
28 May 2009 28 October 2012 3 years, 153 days
Rao Inderjit Singh Rao Inderjit Singh addressing at the Meeting with the StatesUTs on the Implementation of “The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016”, in New Delhi.jpg Bharatiya Janata Party 26 May 2014 5 July 2016 2 years, 40 days
Subhash Bhamre The foundation stone for the construction of DRDO established IIT Bombay & IIT Madras bi-nodal ‘Centre of Propulsion Technology’ (CoPT) was laid at IIT Bombay premises by Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Subhash Bhamre.jpg 5 July 2016 30 May 2019 2 years, 329 days
Shripad Naik Shripad Yasso Naik - Kolkata 2014-10-12 7755.JPG 30 May 2019 7 July 2021 5 years, 360 days
Ajay Bhatt 7 July 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 322 days

See also[edit]

References[edit]

[1]

  1. ↑ "Former Defence Ministers of State". Ministry of Defence GOI. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
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