New Delhi:  India, under the Operation Dost, is sending search and rescue teams, a field hospital, materials, medicines and equipment to Türkey and Syria, India External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

"Under #OperationDost, India is sending search and rescue teams, a field hospital, materials, medicines and equipment to Türkey and Syria. This is an ongoing operation and we would be posting updates," he said.

In the wake of tragic earthquake that struck North-Western Syria on 6 February 2022 causing massive destruction and loss of precious lives, the Government of India, has dispatched 6 tons of emergency relief assistance through a special aircraft of Indian Airforce to Syria.

"The consignment was handed over by Cd’A of India to Syria Shri S. K. Yadav to the Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment of Syria Mr. Moutaz Douaji at Damascus Airport today morning," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs

The consignment consists of emergency medicines and equipments including portable ECG machines, patient monitors and other essential medical items.

India over the years has been extending humanitarian, technical and developmental assistance to Syria through bilateral and multilateral channels.

Consignments of food and medicines have been supplied to Syria from time to time, including during the pandemic.

Two Artificial Limb Fitment Camps (Jaipur Foot) have been organized in Syria in December 2020 and recently in October-November 2022.

A Next-Gen Centre for Information Technology was set up in Damascus in October 2021. About 1500 scholarships have been provided to Syrian students to study in India in diverse streams.