New Delhi  - India's Defence Minister AK Antony fainted while attending a parade in the western city of Pune on Saturday and was admitted to hospital, officials said.

The 68-year-old was reviewing a cadets'passing-out parade at the National Defence Academy when he slumped on the dais. Aides asked him to take a seat, but he fainted soon after.

Antony was taken to hospital on the NDA campus, where doctors said the minister had recovered but needed to rest for some time. He had suffered from exhaustion as well as heat and dehydration.

NDA chief TS Randhawa said Antony had kept a busy schedule over the past days - returning Friday from the Berlin Air Show and working in his office before leaving for Pune the same night. (dpa)