India extends a hand: We share your grief, says PM Modi

“Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the Earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted in the morning.

A few hours later, he added, “Deeply pained to learn that the devastating earthquake has also affected Syria. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We share the grief of Syrian people and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this difficult time.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed grief at the loss of lives and devastation caused by the earthquake. “Anguished by the news of lives lost in the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The global community must come together to ensure swift relief to the affected region. My thoughts are with families of those who have lost their loved ones,” he tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi’s Principal Secretary P K Mishra held a meeting in the South Block to decide the immediate relief measures to be extended to Turkey, said an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Two teams of NDRF, comprising 100 personnel with trained dog squads and necessary equipment, are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit areas for search and rescue

Prime Minister Modi’s Principal Secretary P K Mishra held a meeting in the South Block to decide the immediate relief measures to be extended to Turkey, said an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Two teams of NDRF, comprising 100 personnel with trained dog squads and necessary equipment, are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit areas for search and rescue operations. Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics and essential medicines, it said.

Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Turkish government and the Indian embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General office in Istanbul, it added.

The meeting was attended by the cabinet secretary, representatives of ministries of home affairs, defence, external affairs, civil aviation, health and family welfare besides National Disaster Management Authority and NDRF, the statement said.

With ties between India and Turkey having been adversely impacted in the last few years, leaders of the two countries — Prime Minister Modi and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — had held an unannounced meeting in September last year in Samarkand on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

While India-Turkey economic and commercial cooperation constitutes an important dimension of the bilateral relationship, the diplomatic ties have been adversely impacted over Turkey’s public criticism of the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the February 2020 riots in north-east Delhi. But the September meeting was aimed towards rebuilding the trust in the ties.