Finding an 'auspicious coincidence' between India's nuclear tests on May 13 in 1998 and the proposed counting of votes of the general election on the same day this year, Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh on Monday said, "This is an advance announcement of things to come."

India's Nuclear Tests

"It's an auspicious coincidence," Singh said, delivering a speech at a BJP-organised intellectuals' meet on 'India On The Move'.

Dwelling at length on the twin nuclear tests conducted on May 11 and 13 in 1998, Singh said: "Journey started on May 13 and the momentous event had enhanced India's stature and prestige internationally."

"(The) NDA has brought about transformation on the economic, international and internal fronts," he said and appealed to voters to ensure that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in for the fourth time to provide continuity to many of the initiatives in these spheres.

He said many countries were now supporting India's bid for a permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, adding, foreign heads of state were now flocking to India and President A P J Abdul Kalam and Vajpayee were finding it difficult to accommodate the schedule to meet them.

Last year alone, India had repaid the loans of more than US $4 billion prematurely, Singh said. last September, he added, New Delhi even lent a loan of US $350 million to the International Monetary Fund.

Asserting that India was on the move, he said it cannot be stopped from being in the forefront of nations and among the leading countries in the foreseeable future.