Nirmala Sitharaman assumed charge as Defence Minister in South Block on Thursday in the presence of predecessor Arun Jaitley. In a short statement after taking over, she said her focus would be on military preparedness, resolving longstanding defence issues, ‘Make in India’ and the welfare of soldiers and their families.

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“My priority will definitely be the armed forces preparedness. It is important that the Indian armed forces receive the attention in terms of giving them every endowment and equipment necessary for them to perform their duty with the best of equipment available,” she said. She promised to addressed “all long-pending defence issues in consultation with the Prime Minister and the cabinet”.

About Make in India campaign, she said: “We will ensure that it’s given full play for defence production. With technology coming in, we have to ensure that we ‘make in India’ so that we benefit and also send these to the international market.” She said, “Soldiers and their families should remain absolutely assured that their interests are watched.”

In her first act as the Defence Minister, she approved financial assistance out of the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Fund (RMEWF) for retired military personnel.

She later attended an event organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which was also attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, where armoured buses, bullet proof jackets, unmanned aerial vehicles and small arms were handed over to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

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Sitharaman said it was a privilege to hand over indigenous products on her first engagement after assuming office.