Panaji, Feb 23 (IANS): There are some countries where development will never take place, some of them are "our neighbours", Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.

Joshi was speaking during the birthday event of Goa's Water Resource Minister Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda-South Goa.

"There are some countries where development will never take place. I will not speak about such countries, some are our neighbours... Our neighbouring country will never develop," he said, without naming any country.

Speaking about India's economic growth, Joshi said, "The country is progressing at pace and thus has become the fifth largest economy of the world... the 'British' who ruled here for two hundred years are on the sixth rank. This is our situation today."

He said that the third term of the Narendra Modi government will make the country the third-largest economy.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream is to eradicate poverty by making development. The country has witnessed change... you can see the development. During the UPA regime, there was corruption of Rs 12 lakh crore in merely ten years," the Union Minister said.

"Goa BJP government has done development in the state. It was only possible with the blessings of PM Modi. We have given corruption-free governments. PM Modi has steered the financial affairs and development of the country," Joshi said.