A Friend in need is a friend indeed: Quake-hit Turkey thanks ‘dost’ India for funds

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Terming India as “Dost” for its generosity for providing funds to the country after three devastating earthquakes struck Turkey in 24 hours, Ambassador of Turkey to India Firat Sunel thanked New Delhi and said, “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” Taking to Twitter, 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 India.”

Earlier, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan visited Turkey’s embassy and expressed condolences.  He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sympathy and humanitarian support.  Today, India said it would despatch rescue and medical teams to Turkey. The prime minister’s office said that a meeting was held and it was decided that the search and rescue teams of NDRF and medical teams along with relief materials would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Turkey.

Two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force, comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment, are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit area for search and rescue operations, the PMO said in a statement. “Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Turkish government and the Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul,” the PMO said.