The
Ministry of Communications came into existence soon after India's independence in the
First Nehru ministry formed on 15 August 1947.
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was appointed as the first minister of communications and served until 1951. The ministry was merged with the
Ministry of Transport to form the
"Ministry of Transport and Communications" on 17 April 1957 in the
Third Nehru ministry.
Lal Bahadur Shastri was appointed as the minister in the newly-formed ministry. The ministry was bifurcated on 31 August 1963 into the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. The
"Department of Posts and Telegraphs" became the Ministry of Communications on 13 May 1964. On 22 December 2001, the Ministry of Communications and the
Ministry of Information Technology were merged to form the
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The ministry was further bifurcated on 5 July 2016 into the Ministry of Communications and the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The two ministries have since then existed independently. ==Agencies==