Rajnath Singh has been appointed as the Defence Minister for the second consecutive term, following his successful tenure from 2019 to 2024.
This decision, made by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, acknowledges Singh’s effective leadership in the Ministry of Defence. A Member of Parliament from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh initially assumed this role on June 1, 2019.
Born on July 10, 1951, in Chandauli district, Uttar Pradesh, Singh pursued his Masters in Physics from the University of Gorakhpur. Before entering politics, he was a teacher. His political career began in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, where he served from 1977 to 1980 and again from 2001 to 2003. He was the Minister of Education in the Uttar Pradesh government from 1991 to 1992 and the Minister of Surface Transport in the Union Cabinet from 1999 to 2000.
Singh’s tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh spanned from 2000 to 2002. He later served as Minister of Agriculture in the Union Cabinet in 2003. Elected to the Rajya Sabha for two terms (1994-1999 and 2003-2008), he transitioned to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. His contributions included serving on the Committee on Ethics starting October 7, 2009. In the Modi-led government, Singh was appointed Minister of Home Affairs on May 27, 2014. Singh is married to Savitri Singh, and they have two sons.
Joining him in the Ministry of Defence is Sanjay Seth, appointed as Minister of State for Defence. Seth, an MP from Ranchi, Jharkhand, first elected in 2019, was a member of the Standing Committee on Information Technology. Re-elected in 2024, Seth will now assist in managing the country’s defence portfolio.