Operation Dost is testimony of India’s willingness to extend help to all possible corners of globe: CDS Anil Chauhan

New Delhi [India], March 14 (ANI): Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan On Tuesday said ‘Operation Dost’ is a testimony of India’s willingness to extend help to all possible corners of the world.

India launched Operation Dost to assist in search-and-rescue operations in Turkey and Syria following deadly earthquakes that struck on February 6.

CDS Chauhan was speaking at the SCO workshop on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Risk Mitigation, and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in Delhi.

“Launch of Operation Dost is a testimony to the willingness to extend help to all possible corners of the globe. It also indicates the state of our readiness capacities and capabilities highlighting the importance of HADR,” CDS Chauhan said.

He also highlighted that India’s cultural beliefs of Vasudev Kutumbkam that the whole world is one family, has been playing an important role in providing HADR in the region and beyond.

“We have undertaken operation maitree which was the rescue ops during an earthquake in Nepal, providing aid during the cyclone in Sri Lanka in 2016, the Earthquake in Indonesia in 2018, supply of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic in the recent tragedy in Turkey and Syria unfolded due to the earthquake, India launched Operation dost that is operation friendship to be the first on the scene with personal equipment medical aid and mobile hospital,” he mentioned.

“During the address at the national platform for disaster risk reduction on March 10, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that tradition and technology are our strengths and with this strength, we can prepare the best model related to disaster resilience not only for India but for the entire world,” he said.

The SCO workshop was also attended by representatives from China and Pakistan among others. (ANI)