(MENAFN- IANS) Hyderabad, Oct 3 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday lauded the contribution of the Jain community in nation-building, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Addressing Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) Connect 2025 here, he noted that the share of the Jain community in India's total population is less than 0.5 per cent, but their contribution to the country's total tax collection is approximately 24 per cent.

Rajnath Singh stated that while strengthening India's cultural and spiritual heritage, the Jain community is also making a significant contribution to the economic progress.

He pointed out that under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India was moving towards becoming the world's third-largest economy.

“Be it the social or economic sector, we have achieved unprecedented accomplishments in every direction. The lives of our citizens have improved, and today they are getting new opportunities,” he said.

The Defence Minister also noted that India is rapidly progressing towards becoming the manufacturing hub for the world.

“The day is not far when India will emerge as the 'Factory of the World'. Initiatives like 'Make in India' have not only strengthened local businesses but also given Indian products global recognition,” he said.

“Whether it is the Tejas fighter aircraft, Akash missile, Arjun tank, or Prachand helicopter - our armed forces' strength is continuously increasing through indigenous technology. India is no longer just meeting its own defence needs, but is also setting new milestones in defence exports. Today, India is emerging as a rising arms supplier in the world,” he added.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Telangana's IT and Industry Minister G. Sridhar Babu and others attended the inaugural session of the three-day exhibition of networking, knowledge and entertainment.

With over 600 stalls and six grand arenas, the exhibition features Build Mart, Business Bay, Property Pavilion, Bridal Story, Lifestyle Lane, and AI & Startup Arena, making it a one-stop hub for business, innovation, fashion, lifestyle, and future technologies

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