Jaswant Singh has come a long way from his home in the desert districts of Rajasthan. Commissioned in the Indian Army when barely nineteen, he went through two wars whilst in service (1962 and 1965) before resigning his commission to pursue a political career. He has served seven terms in Parliament and in the BJP - led governments of 1996 and 1998 - 2004, held charge of six ministries of the Government of India, including External Affairs, Defense and Finance. Regarded as an authority on Indian foreign policy and national security, Jaswant Singh is among the most respected names in the country's public life and in the world of diplomacy.