A section of the Indian media earlier reported that Pakistan denied airspace to Indian aircraft carrying humanitarian aid and rescue teams to earthquake-hit Turkey. There was no confirmation either from the Indian or the Pakistani side of this development.
CNN-News18 reported that the Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster had to take a detour because Pakistan denied permission to use its airspace.
However, it emerged that Indian planes didn’t fly over Pakistan to reach Ankara. It is believed that the Indian establishment never asked for permission from the Pakistan aviation authorities with regard to sending their military aircraft.
Even during the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, Indian military planes flew from Kabul to Dushanbe and used Iranian airspace to come back to India.
Reacting to the development, Turkish ambassador to India, Firat Sunel, told WION’s Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal that he has “no information” on Indian military aircraft not being allowed to fly over Pakistani airspace.
Earlier in the day, India sent two Indian Air Force’s C-17 aircraft, one of which departed on Monday late at night, while the second batch flew off on early Tuesday.
The first batch of earthquake relief material carried search &and rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), specially trained dog squads, medical supplies, drilling machines and other necessary equipment to help Turkey in the evacuation of civilians.
“First Indian C17 flight with more than 50 @NDRFHQ. Search & Rescue personnel, specially trained dog squads, drilling machines, relief material, medicines and other necessary utilities & equipment reaches Adana, Türkiye. Second plane getting ready for departure,” Jaishankar had on Tuesday morning.
First Indian C17 flight with more than 50 @NDRFHQ Search & Rescue personnel, specially trained dog squads,drilling machines, relief material, medicines and other necessary utilities & equipment reaches Adana,Türkiye.
Second plane getting ready for departure. @MevlutCavusoglu pic.twitter.com/sSjuRJJrIO
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 7, 2023
Earlier, Turkey’s Ambassador to India Firat Sunel thanked New Delhi for sending relief materials and termed India as “dost” (which in English means friend)
““Dost” is a common word in Turkish and Hindi… We have a Turkish proverb: “Dost kara günde belli olur” (a friend in need is a friend indeed). Thank you very much India.”
He also shared an exchange between Indian and Turkish authorities following the deadly earthquakes that rattled the country and its neighbour Syria.
On Monday, India’s junior foreign minister V Muraleedharan paid a visit to Turkey’s embassy in New Delhi to express condolences. He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sympathy and humanitarian support.
Meanwhile, the total death toll rose to 4,983 as the search and rescue operation to find the survivors was underway.
According to local media reports, Turkey has recorded 3,381 fatalities, while Syria reported 1,602 casualties.
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