Turkey Earthquake: India Strengthens Aid To A ‘Friend In Need’, Sends Relief Supplies, Medical Personnel & More

The Indian Air Force's first C-17 cargo aircraft, transporting a squad of search and rescue workers, trained and experienced dog squads, drilling machinery, relief items, and medications, landed in Adana, Turkey, on February 07.

By
Udit Lakhoria
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Turkey has recently been experiencing natural disasters. Back-to-back earthquakes with magnitudes more than 6.5 Richter Scale wreaked havoc in Middle Eastern countries, particularly Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. India is one of the few countries that has stepped forward to assist Turkey and Syria in addressing their crisis.

It delivered relief supplies, a portable hospital, and highly specialised relief and recovery personnel to Turkey on February 07 aboard 4 C-17 Globemaster combat transport planes to assist the country’s recovery efforts after the catastrophic earthquakes that killed nearly 5,000 individuals in the region. India also supplied six tonnes of emergency supplies, comprising life-saving medications and medical supplies, to Syria through an Indian Air Force (IAF) cargo aircraft on February 06.

After the Centre agreed to provide assistance and emergency supplies to the earthquake-hit nation, Turkey’s Representative to India, Firat Sunel, hailed New Delhi as ‘dost’ (Hindi for a friend). In a tweet late Monday night, Sunel said: “‘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.” Several governments worldwide have offered assistance to both nations in their evacuation and reconstruction operations.

How is India assisting earthquake-affected countries?

  • India dispatched rescue personnel and supplies to Turkey as responders in earthquake-ravaged areas raced against the clock to help those trapped beneath the debris of hundreds of buildings.
  • The Indian Air Force’s first C-17 cargo aircraft, transporting a squad of search and rescue workers, trained and experienced dog squads, drilling machinery, relief items, and medications, landed in Adana, Turkey, on February 07.

  • Around midday, a second IAF jet carrying identical cargo was dispatched to Turkey. Both have arrived in the nation.
  • According to Outlook India, “First Indian C17 flight with more than 50 @NDRFHQ Search & Rescue personnel, specially trained dog squads, drilling machines, relief material, medicines, and other necessary utilities & equipment reaches Adana, Türkiye,” Jaishankar said on Twitter.
  • “Second @IAF_MCC C-17 with self-contained @NDRFHQ teams including dog squads, search & rescue equipment, extrication tools, and vehicles leaves for Türkiye. India continues to support the people of Türkiye in their hour of need,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

  • Sending relief to Turkey is just another example of India rushing to the aid of a country afflicted by a natural calamity. In the previous 15 years, India has conducted numerous emergency relief missions and has become an essential player in such situations, particularly in its immediate neighbourhood.

What have been the prior examples of India offering help to disaster-affected countries?

The United States of America

On September 13, 2005, an Indian Air Force IL-76 airplane transported 25 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Hurricane Katrina survivors at the Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. 3,000 comforters, mattress pads, plastic sheeting, and basic hygiene items were among the aid supplies.

Maldives

Following the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian administration provided a five-crore-rupee gift. “Operation Castor” included 50 sorties, as well as relief missions involving four airplanes and two naval vessels. Repairing and restoring electricity and telecommunications networks, giving drinking water, and establishing medical camps aboard ships were also accomplished.

Myanmar

When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in 2008, claiming the lives of 20,000 people, India was one of the first nations to offer help. It sent 125.5 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, which included medications, clothes, cutlery, water reservoirs, shelters, and tarpaulin.

 

(Edited by Garvit Bhirani)

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