The CCS is a cabinet committee of the Government of India that debates and takes final decisions on matters related to security, including senior appointments in the government, and defence procurement. It is chaired by the Prime Minister and it generally includes the Ministers for Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs and Finance. Typically, the leader of the government appoints his most trusted party-members and allies as the heads of these ministries.
In coalition governments, if the single-largest party does not have the majority on its own or is heavily dependent on its alliance partners, then the CCS can end up reflecting the need to manage multiple political interests. Here is a list of the CCS in the most recent coalition governments in India.
First NDA government under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
|
Portfolio
|
NDA 1 (March 1998 to October 1999)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
George Fernandes
|
March 19 1998
|
October 13 1999
|
|
External Affairs
|
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
|
March 19 1998
|
December 5 1998
|
|
Jaswant Singh
|
December 5 1998
|
October 13 1999
|
|
Home Affairs
|
L. K. Advani
|
March 19 1998
|
October 13 1999
|
|
Finance
|
Yashwant Sinha
|
March 19 1998
|
October 13 1999
|
In the 1998 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 181 seats, which was short of the 272 mark for majority. George Fernandes’s Samata Party won 12 seats and became a key coalition partner. The other CCS ministers were all from the BJP.
Second NDA government under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
|
Portfolio
|
NDA 2 (October 1999 to May 2004)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
George Fernandes
|
October 13 1999
|
March 16
2001
|
|
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
|
March 16 2001
|
March 18 2001
|
|
Jaswant Singh
|
March 18 2001
|
October 15 2001
|
|
George Fernandes
|
October 15 2001
|
May 22 2004
|
|
External Affairs
|
Jaswant Singh
|
October 13 1999
|
July 1 2002
|
|
Yashwant Sinha
|
1 July 2002
|
May 22 2004
|
|
Home Affairs
|
L. K. Advani
|
October 13 1999
|
May 22 2004
|
|
Finance
|
Yashwant Sinha
Jaswant Singh |
October 13 1999
July 1 2002 |
July 1 2002
May 22 2004 |
The 1999 elections saw the BJP’s tally remain the same. Fernandes retained his portfolio for some time, until the Tehelka defence scam forced his resignation in 2001. However, he was reinstated after a few months.
First UPA government under PM Manmohan Singh
|
Portfolio/Govt
|
UPA 1 (May 2004 to May 2009)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
Pranab Mukherjee
|
May 22 2004
|
October 24 2006
|
|
A. K. Antony
|
October 24 2006
|
May 22 2009
|
|
External Affairs
|
Natwar Singh
|
May 22 2004
|
November 7 2005
|
|
Manmohan Singh
|
November 7 2005
|
October 24 2006
|
|
Pranab Mukherjee
|
October 24 2006
|
May 22 2009
|
|
Home Affairs
|
Shivraj Patil
|
May 22 2004
|
November 30 2008
|
|
P. Chidambaram
|
December 1 2008
|
May 22 2009
|
|
Finance
|
P. Chidambaram
|
May 22 2004
|
November 30 2008
|
|
Manmohan Singh
|
November 30 2008
|
December 1 2008
|
|
Pranab Mukherjee
|
December 1 2008
|
May 22 2009
|
The Congress emerged as the largest party in these elections, but at 145 seats, its share of seats was nowhere near the majority mark. Left parties had a big influence on the government, with the CPI (M) winning 43 seats and the CPI securing 10. CPI (M)’s Somnath Chatterjee was elected as the Speaker, although only Congress ministers were in the CCS.
Second UPA government under PM Manmohan Singh
|
Portfolio/Govt
|
UPA 2 (May 2009 to May 2014)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
A. K. Antony
|
May 22 2009
|
May 26 2014
|
|
External Affairs
|
S. M. Krishna
|
May 22 2009
|
October 28 2012
|
|
Salman Khurshid
|
October 28 2012
|
May 26 2014
|
|
Home Affairs
|
P. Chidambaram
|
May 22 2009
|
July 31 2012
|
|
Sushil Kumar Shinde
|
July 31 2012
|
May 26 2014
|
|
Finance
|
Pranab Mukherjee
|
May 22 2009
|
June 26 2012
|
|
Manmohan Singh
|
June 26 2012
|
August 1 2012
|
|
P. Chidambaram
|
August 1 2012
|
May 26 2014
|
The 2009 Lok Sabha elections saw the party’s tally improve to 206 seats. Barring a few changes and cabinet reshuffling, it largely retained the same faces as it had in the previous term. Notably, Pranab Mujherjee resigned to file his nomination for the Presidential polls, which he won that year.
First NDA government under PM Narendra Modi
|
Portfolio/Govt
|
NDA 3 (May 2014 to May 2019)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
Arun Jaitley
|
May 26 2014
|
November 9 2014
|
|
Manohar Parrikar
|
November 9 2014
|
March 13 2017
|
|
Arun Jaitley
|
March 13 2017
|
September 3 2017
|
|
Nirmala Sitharaman
|
September 3 2017
|
May 30 2019
|
|
External Affairs
|
Sushma Swaraj
|
May 26 2014
|
May 30 2019
|
|
Home Affairs
|
Rajnath Singh
|
May 26 2014
|
May 30 2019
|
|
Finance
|
Arun Jaitley
|
May 26 2014
|
May 30 2019
|
In what was described as a landslide victory, the BJP won 282 seats in the 2014 elections, meaning it did not have to rely on its coalition partners to form the government. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away in 2017.
Second NDA government under PM Narendra Modi
|
Portfolio/Govt
|
NDA 4 (May 2019 to May 2024)
|
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term End
|
|
Defence
|
Rajnath Singh
|
May 30 2019
|
Incumbent
|
|
External Affairs
|
S. Jaishankar
|
May 30 2019
|
Incumbent
|
|
Home Affairs
|
Amit Shah
|
May 30 2019
|
Incumbent
|
|
Finance
|
Nirmala Sitharaman
|
May 30 2019
|
Incumbent
|
Improving on its already strong position in the Lok Sabha, the BJP secured 303 seats in 2019. With senior leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley passing away in 2019, major changes were witnessed in the CCS. As part of the caretaker government, the ministers are incumbent until the new cabinet is sworn-in.
The writer is an intern with The Indian Express
The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outside the Prime Minister's residence after a CCS meeting in 2019. (Express photo by Anil Sharma) 
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