India doing its best to help quake-hit Turkey, Syria: Providing assistance under ‘Operation Dost’

The sixth plane from India carrying rescue personnel, essentials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts have reached Turkey on Thursday.

The sixth flight carries more rescue teams, dog squads, and essential medicines for the quake- hit country.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took to Twitter and said that more rescue teams, dog squads, and essential medications reached on the flight to the earthquake-stricken nation.

The sixth #OperationDost flight reaches Türkiye.

More search and rescue teams, dog squads, essential search & access equipment, medicines and medical equipment ready for deployment in the relief efforts. pic.twitter.com/tacGyzsCDB

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 8, 2023

MEA Jaishankar in another tweet mentioned that a field hospital in Turkey has been set up where medical experts will treat the ones in need.

The tweet read, “This field hospital in Hatay, Türkiye will treat those affected by the earthquake. Our team of medical & critical care specialists and equipment are preparing to treat emergencies.”

India launched ‘Operation Dost’ to extend assistance to Turkey as well as Syria following Monday’s devastating quake that killed more than 15,000 people and left thousand others injured.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said that the field hospital under ‘Operation Dost’ has been set up at Iskenderun, Hatay province in Turkey by the Indian Army.

Türkiye’s Ambassador to India Firat Sunel has described ‘Operation Dost’ as a “very important operation” and demonstrated the friendship between the two nations.

Firat Sunel made the remarks at the Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad from where Indian Air Force’s C17 Globemaster aircraft with the NDRF team, medical equipment, relief equipment, took off for Turkey, as part of the ongoing ‘Operation Dost.’ He said, “Operation Dost is a symbolic operation. It already proves that we are friends. We have to deepen our relations.”

V Muraleedharan, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, who was also present at the Hindon Airbase, had stated that India is ready to extend support to the earthquake affected Turkey and its people. He added, four teams working on the ground in Turkiye, including two rescue teams, dog squads and two medical teams are working on the ground presently.

On February 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria was followed by a string of aftershocks that led to significant destruction, left scores of people dead, and infrastructure in both nations affected.