Photo: AFP
CHALLENGES AHEAD: Defence Minister A.K. Antony being greeted by the three Services chiefs, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, Chief of the Army Staff General J.J. Singh and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: The new Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, on Wednesday said he would take his time to deal with issues in the Ministry because "defence is an area we must tread cautiously."

To devote time

Speaking to The Hindu here, he said: "This is an absolutely new turf for me. I'm like a first standard student. I have to study everything from scratch. I met the three Services chiefs and the Coast Guard head also met me today. I plan to meet the heads of every division. I will go slow on getting my team in place because defence is an area where we must tread cautiously."

Mr. Antony said he would devote considerable time initially to "reading and briefings" to understand the Ministry better.

Satisfied with flat

He had no "immediate" plans to shift from his modest flat to a bungalow in Lutyen's Delhi, usually reserved for Cabinet Ministers.

Amid the noise of workmen installing new fixtures and phone lines, he said he was satisfied with the first floor flat, he has occupied for the past couple of years.

On the role of middlemen in defence deals, a subject that saw a barrage of questions from newspersons earlier in the day, Mr. Antony said he would have to understand the background first.

At the press conference, he said his top priority would be to protect the "national interest to the utmost."

"Every action scanned"

"We are living in a transparent democracy and every action of a public man, whether a Minister or official is being scanned. Everyone should be aware of this fact."

Earlier, on his arrival in the Ministry in South Block, Mr. Antony was received by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt and other senior officials. The Minister also convened a meeting of senior Ministry officials.

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