India has stepped up the pace of sending rescue teams and relief material to earthquake ravaged Turkey and Syria. The relief material includes a field hospital and medicines under “Operation Dost,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Wednesday.
"Every day we see ups and down in geopolitical situations but India has stable relations with countries. As per our policy of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' - India stands forever for humanity," Jaishankar told news agency ANI when asked about support to Turkey despite New Delhi's differences with Ankara. India has, so far, sent around 102 tons of relief materials to Turkiye.
Meanwhile, a fourth C-17 plane of the Indian Air Force carrying relief assistance for Turkey's earthquake victims landed in Adana on Wednesday.
"The fourth @IAF_MCC aircraft leaves for Turkiye with the remaining component of the field hospital. This includes 54 members of the Indian Army medical team as well as medical and other equipment to establish the facility," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
Turkey has called India a "dost" for its generosity for providing funds to the country after the earthquake caused massive destruction.
Ambassador of Turkey to India Firat Sunel thanked New Delhi and said, "a friend in need is a friend indeed."
"Dost" is a common word in Turkish and Hindi... We have a Turkish proverb: "Dost kara gunde belli olur" (a friend in need is a friend indeed). Thank you very much India," said the Ambassador.
India decided to immediately send search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force(NDRF), medical teams and relief material to Turkey following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructions to offer all possible assistance to the country on Monday. .
Giving details of the ongoing relief effort, Secretary(West)Ministry of External Affairs Sanjay Verma said here, India has set up a control room in Turkey's Adana. Ten Indians are stuck in remote parts of affected areas but they are safe. One Indian national, who was on a business visit, is missing. “We're in touch with his family and the company in Bengaluru which employs him,” he added.
Describing the earthquake as the biggest disaster to hit Turkey since 1939, Verma said India has so far sent four flights there and one aircraft to Syria carrying rescue teams and relief material.