India sends aid to earthquake-hit Turkiye and Syria

India has sent a sixth C-17 heavy lift transport aircraft with relief material and medicine to help earthquake hit Turkiye today. Turkiye has denied the proposed visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Foreign Minister Bilawal Zardari as Ankara is busy in earthquake rescue and relief operations. The aircraft is flying a circuitous route via Iran as Pakistan does not give permission to Indian military aircraft. India has already sent four C-17 plane loads of relief material, equipment and personnel to Turkiye, weighing over 108 tons. The relief material includes self-contained search and rescue units of NDRF numbering over 100 personnel, with their equipment, vehicles and dog squads. India has also sent over 6 tons of relief material to Syria including 3 truckloads of general and protective gear, emergency use medicines, syringes and equipment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to full humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to quake hit Turkiye and Syria but Pakistan is placing hurdles on India’s efforts to save lives in these quake hit nations.