Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Hints At Retirement From Politics

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will undertake a key visit to the USA this week during which he will take forward the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) as both countries work towards greater collaboration in joint development and manufacture of next-gen military tech.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has dismissed reports of his retirement saying it was a reporter’s wishful thinking.

Parrikar tweeted, “At the age of 60, normally people think of retirement and perhaps I would have also”.

He will leave for the USA on December 4 and return on December 12, ahead of the Combined Commanders’ Conference, which would be held for the first time on-board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on December 15.

The defense minister may also push for faster acquisition of 145 M777 Ultra-Light Howitzers from the US under a government-to-government deal, they said.

Current chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar who took the position of Parrikar after his posting in union cabinet has already announced that he would lead the party in 2017 goa assembly polls. Media reports had suggested that Parrikar, during a programme in Goa, hinted at retiring from politics as he was turning 60 this year.

He had said that his attention will be on Goa and if the state government goes on a wrong path, then he will bring it back on track.