- Major rejig -Sitharaman, 59, became India's first full-time woman finance minister after a similar landmark stint as defence minister. As finance minister Sitharaman will be expected to steer India's course through reforms and arrest an economic slowdown in Asia's third-largest economy. The previous finance minister, Arun Jaitley, asked not to be considered for a government post because of ill health. Modi, 24 cabinet rank ministers and more than 30 deputy ministers were sworn in at the presidential palace on Thursday. Presidents and prime ministers from neighbouring Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives were present, but arch-rival Pakistan was not among those invited.

Source: Bangkok Post May 31, 2019 09:33 UTC