Arun Jaitley named as finance and defence minister

Arun Jaitley is administered oath of office by President Pranab Mukherjee as a cabinet minister at the presidential palace in New Delhi on Monday, May 26, 2014. Photo: Reuters

Arun Jaitley will head both India's finance and defence ministry in the new administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , a government statement said on Tuesday.

Jaitley, 61, is one of India's top corporate lawyers and has served as a commerce minister in a previous administration. He is a close associate of Modi.

Jaitley was one of 23 cabinet ministers sworn in along with Modi on Monday. Sushma Swaraj, a party veteran, was appointed as the foreign minister.