India’s "Operation Dost" ("Friendship Operation"), launched to send urgent relief to Türkiye in the wake of the solid earthquakes that jolted the country’s south, expresses New Delhi’s solidarity with Ankara, India’s Ambassador to Türkiye Virender Paul said on Wednesday.

"The tragic news of the earthquakes was received in India with deep shock and disbelief. In these extraordinarily challenging times, there is a wave of heartfelt sympathies across India for the people suffering in Türkiye," Paul told Daily Sabah in an exclusive interview.

The ambassador reminded me that India’s humanitarian assistance exercise Operation Dost was among the earliest foreign help to arrive in Türkiye.

"Over 250 trained Indian personnel brought here along with specialized equipment, vehicles and relief material in six C-17 military aircraft have actively worked in search and rescue operations and providing medical treatment through a self-contained field hospital equipped to perform even life and limb-saving surgeries," Paul underlined.

Saying that he visited the Gaziantep and Hatay provinces where India’s humanitarian teams were actively deployed, Paul said: "I am witness to the fact that Operation Dost has become a visible manifestation of India’s solidarity with Türkiye in these most distressing times. There is recognition of this among the Turkish people."

Apart from several organizations, help from individuals is increasing as many in India are pledging to help quake-hit Türkiye. The Turkish Embassy in New Delhi is receiving aid and relief from various sectors of society.

Governments and international organizations worldwide have responded with offers of support after two major earthquakes struck central Türkiye and northwest Syria.

Over 35,000 people died in the 7.7 and 7.6 quakes that struck southeastern Türkiye nine hours apart on Feb. 6.