Much to my surprise, not a moment have I been made to feel, 'Alright, a woman - probably the prime minister wanted to make a token gesture.' The ease with which people have taken this thought of a woman minister has been a great strength for me and has made my job far easier.

I respect the Forces... but civil services also have a contribution to make. They are there to bridge administration with Forces. They are critical, and I give credit to them. I don't claim to have done miracles in bridging it, but I have just said the two lines can go parallel.

A new procurement policy had to be brought in 2016. Subsequent to it, procurement has gone up rapidly.

Nirmala Sitharaman Quotes