The timing of these events give rise to the strange impression that the defence ministry has been co-opted for the run-up to the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the deputy leader.
Pakistan troops on Friday targeted Indian posts with heavy firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir in yet another violation of the ceasefire, prompting retaliation by Indian forces.
There is also a buzz about Shah joining the government. About 60 ministers may take oath.
Jaitley said the government has been able to improve its budgeted expenditure.
Even as Indian and Pakistani troops exchange heavy fire at the international border, leaders from both nations are engaged in a blame game aimed at allaying concerns of their countrymen.
The $10.5 billion arms and equipment deal helped to arrest the recent drift in the 'special and privileged' strategic partnership, observes Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
The finance minister continues to be backed by the same policy team in charting out the broad strategy as in the few earlier Budgets.
Pakistan on Thursday called Kashmiri separatists "freedom fighters", a day after Defence Minister Arun Jaitley asked the country to draw a red line and decide whether it wants to talk to government or those who want to break India.
The government last month introduced the GST Bill in Parliament.
He accused Jaitley of having the ability to spin "two truths or lies" with "fake self-righteousness" and "indignation to defend the indefensible".
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said perhaps for the first time after Independence, such a big and 'far-reaching' reform process is being initiated in the Army.
Though not a blockbuster budget it does not undermine the fact that key issues were addressed and the finance minister certainly did not under-deliver, says Vatsal Srivastava.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday ruled out the release of the classified Henderson Brooks Report on the 1962 India-China war that is said to be openly critical of the Indian political and military structure of the time, saying its disclosure would not be in national interest.
Congress has repeatedly alleged a "scam" in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets claiming the cost per aircraft in 2012 was agreed at Rs 526.10 crore while the one signed by the Modi government costs 7.5 billion (Rs 1,670.70 crore per aircraft).
The BJP on Sunday authorised its president J P Nadda and Union minister Rajnath Singh to hold consultations with different political parties, including those in the opposition, on the president's election, in what is being seen as an outreach by the ruling party to arrive at a consensus on the choice for the top constitutional post.
Sitharaman, who became the first full-time woman defence minister in the first tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government -- will also head the Corporate Affairs ministry in the new cabinet.
Most, save Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu, were silent on Bihar polls; it was business as usual for the PM.
In first high-level engagement between India and Russia after National Democratic Alliance government came to power, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry O Rogozin on Wednesday held extensive talks on crucial bilateral issues including trade and energy security.
Ahead of the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hosted a breakfast meet for the new faces to be inducted in his Cabinet.
Congress on Tuesday launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of ceasefire violations by Pakistan questioning his silence even as it wondered why the government was running with a "part-time" defence minister.
The finance minister may stagger some of the recommendations.
The defence ministry has lost sight of what it intended to achieve -- which was to nurture private defence firms that would compete on equal terms with the 9 defence PSUs and the 41 Ordnance Factory Board factories.
Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and three others were on Sunday inducted into the Union Cabinet as Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his Council of Ministers, bringing in 21 new ministers as Shiv Sena kept away from the exercise.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag besides other senior officials attended a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to sources, India is to present all actionable evidence against Pakistan if required at international bodies.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Kumar, who serves as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's principal secretary, has a clean service record that spans over 27 years, in which allegations of corruption were never made against him.
The bitter war between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party over the Rafale deal on Tuesday saw more name-calling with the opposition party dubbing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as a "babble blogger" and dismissing his "clown prince out-clowning himself" barb at Rahul Gandhi as "hollow rants of a court jester".
Thousands of ex-servicemen across the country on Sunday converged at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to protest over the delay in implementation of the 'One Rank, One Pension' scheme.
On V K Singh branding the deceased as a Congress worker, he said all leaders must be 'sensitive' to the suicide.
Sushma Swaraj does not follow anybody, Gadkari is happy to track only two, while Parrikar has only 117 tweets.
Portfolios of more than half-a-dozen ministers are expected to be changed.
The 'AH-64-E' choppers are known as one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters.
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The Hinduja brothers, who top Britain's rich list, said in a statement that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget had set the direction for a 'very positive long-term agenda'.
Sushma Swaraj startled Modi when she said she would like to be defence minister. That set the PM thinking, says Rajeev Sharma.
The Modi government and political parties on Monday roundly criticised Pakistan for the beheading of two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders led by L K Advani on Wednesday raised with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh their objections to Defence Minister A K Antony's statement on the killing of Indian soldiers along the LOC, terming it as a "goof-up", and pressed for a clarification on the serious matter.
Embattled Anglo-Italian helicopter maker AgustaWestland may face a probe in the UK over its 480 million pounds scandal-hit deal with India for the supply of 12 VVIP choppers.
Breaking his silence, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday came out in strong defence of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the 'Modigate' saying she acted "bona fide" and with "good intentions" and the entire government and party were one on the issue.
Pakistan will "feel the pain" of "adventurism" if it persists with ceasefire violations, India warned today as it said the country now has "sword" along with "shield" which existed earlier.
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