By Tarun Basu,

On Board Air India One, Sep 12 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh indicated Monday he would appoint a new external affairs minister on his return home next week.

"When I go back, there shall be one," the prime minister said in response to a question from a correspondent on board his special aircraft as he talked to journalists accompanying him on his visits to Brazil and Cuba.

He said it would not be a full-fledged cabinet reshuffle but only a new foreign minister would be appointed. However, he did not drop any hints on his likely choice.

There has been no full-fledged external affairs minister since Natwar Singh resigned in December following his involvement in Iraq's oil-for-food corruption scandal. The prime minister himself has been looking after the external affairs portfolio with assistance from two junior ministers - ministers of state Anand Sharma and E. Ahamed.

Manmohan Singh returns to New Delhi next Monday night ( Sep 18).