NEW DELHI: When asked why he had to send relief to Syria which has been under US sanctions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked the spirit of G20 of "One Earth, One Family, One Future." Speaking at a ceremony to welcome disaster relief teams on their return from quake-hit Turkiye on Monday, the PM said, "No matter which country, if it is about humanity, then India keeps human interest paramount. The whole world saw how you reached there immediately. It shows your preparedness and your training skills. The way our NDRF personnel have worked for 10 days is worth praising."
Post the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which hit Turkey's southeast and neighbouring Syria on February 6, killing more than 30,000 people and leaving more than a million homeless, India launched Operation Dost to extend assistance to the two countries by sending relief materials in collaboration with the Indian Army.
Emphasising the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', Modi, while interacting with the Indian human assistance and disaster relief teams said that the country is proud of the services of the professionals of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other organisations involved in Operation Dost. During their relief efforts, these professionals earned respect from the locals like when they rescued two girls aged six and eight buried under the debris for days.
The PM also expressed his admiration for the dog squad. Romio and Julie, members of the NDRF's dog squad were crucial in finding six-year-old Nasreen under tonnes of debris. Modi said, "Our dog squad members showed amazing strength. The country is proud of you. Our culture has taught us 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. We consider the whole world as one family. When a member of the family is in trouble, it is India's duty to help."
Under Operation Dost, India sent relief materials to Turkiye, a mobile hospital, and specialised search and rescue teams. 250 Army personnel were also deployed in the worst-hit areas of Turkiye and Syria. Specialised equipment and other relief materials weighing over 135 tonnes too reached Turkey.