Guwahati: The Union Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, today (Feb 26, 2004) said that India's foreign exchange reserve has increased to a record $ 106 billion and the GDP grew by eight per cent - the two signifying that the country is on a high road of development.

Delivering a lecture on ''India Shining'', Singh wondered ''if this cannot be termed as a feel-good factor, then what is''.

Having a dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Singh, without directly naming her, said that simply by learning a language one does not become a member of that particular country.

''Indian culture is vast and simply by reading out from prepared speeches one does not become a part of this mighty nation,'' Singh said amidst applause from his partymen.

''India's culture and history is vast and its destiny should not be linked to the destiny of a particular family,'' the Finance Minister said.