Cebu [Philippines], October 28 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India's global stature and defence preparedness have grown, asserting that the country does not provoke anyone but responds firmly when provoked.

Addressing the Indian community in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of his 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh highlighted India's growing international standing, economic progress, defence capabilities and efforts to curb corruption.

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'India's prestige has grown across the globe. Had this not been the case, the leadership of 35 countries would not have honored our Prime Minister with their highest civilian honors. Today, when India speaks, the world listens with rapt attention,' Singh said.

Emphasising India's philosophy of global cooperation, he said, 'India is the only nation that considers the entire world as its family. We talk about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family)... We are so large-hearted that we even offer milk to snakes on the occasion of Nag Panchami.'

On India's economic growth, Singh said the country currently ranks fifth globally and expressed confidence that it would rise further.

'In terms of our economy, we stand at the fifth position globally; had it not been for the crisis in West Asia, we would have already been among the top three economies in the world. However, this is bound to happen,' he said.

Referring to India's response to security threats, the Defence Minister invoked Operation Sindoor and underlined the country's strengthened defence capabilities.

'You must have heard the name of Operation Sindoor. India is no longer weak. We do not provoke anyone, but if someone provokes us, we do not spare them. This message is now loud and clear. Our defense preparedness has grown,' Singh said.

He also highlighted defence cooperation between India and the Philippines, noting that Manila had acquired the BrahMos missile system from India.

'Even the Philippines has acquired the BrahMos missile system from us,' he said.

Speaking about governance and efforts to curb corruption, Singh said, 'I do not claim that corruption has been completely eliminated from India, but concerted efforts have been made to curb it significantly.'

He highlighted the role of financial inclusion in delivering government benefits directly to citizens, saying, 'Today, every household has a Jan Dhan bank account. Money is directly transferred into the accounts of beneficiaries--from farmers to women and youth.'

Singh also cited India's expansion in higher education, startups, aviation and the startup ecosystem to underline the country's development.

'We have established 490 universities. Before our government came to power, there were only four unicorns; today, their number has risen to 125. The number of startups has surged from around 100 to cross thousands. The number of operational airports has reached 160,' he said.

On the security situation in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said the government had taken firm action against terrorism, claiming that the number of active terrorists in the region had declined significantly.

'Before our government took charge, there were 228 terrorists active in Kashmir. Our government has taken such stern action that the number of terrorists in Kashmir today has been brought down to just 40 to 45,' he said.

Singh's address to the Indian community came during his visit to the Philippines for the 13th ADMM-Plus, a regional defence forum bringing together ASEAN member states and its dialogue partners. (ANI)