Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 and said the country now has nearly 3,000 tigers now. July 29 is International Tiger Day.

“Today, we reaffirm our commitment towards protecting the tiger,” Modi said after releasing the report. “Results of the just declared tiger census would make every Indian happy. Nine years ago, it was decided in St Petersburg [Russia] that target of doubling tiger population will be 2022. We completed this target 4 years early.”

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However, according to government data, tiger numbers were at 1,706 in 2010 and 2,226 in 2014.

“Today we can say with pride that India, with around 3,000 tigers, is one of the biggest and safest habitats in the world,” he added. “The speed and dedication with which various stakeholders worked to achieve this is remarkable.” India conducts the estimation every four years.