Manohar Parrikar will be India's new defence minister, while Suresh Prabhu has been given the charge of the railways ministry, an Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said Sunday.
Parrikar and Prabhu were among the 21 ministers - four cabinet rank, three ministers of state with independent charge, and 14 ministers of state - sworn in the first expansion of the Narendra Modi government earlier Sunday.
Apart from the allocation of new portfolios, there has been also been a reshuffle.
Among the other new cabinet ministers, Jagat Prakash Nadda gets charge of the health and family welfare ministry earlier held by Harsh Vardhan, who has now been given the portfolio of science and technology, earlier held by a minister of state (independent charge).
Birender Singh has been given the portfolios of rural development, panchayati raj and drinking water and sanitation. Originally allocated to Gopinath Munde, these were given to Surface Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari following his death in a car accident.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who relinquishes charge of defence, has now been given additional charge of information and broadcasting.
Published 09 November 2014, 17:50 IST