Did Turkey betray India after Operation Dost? Here's what we know

Acting without doubt at the behest of Pakistan, the Turkish government raked up the issue of Kashmir at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

News reports claiming Turkey has once again raked up 'Jammu and Kashmir' issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has been doing the rounds on social media. The reports come just days after India's 'Operation Dost' played a stellar role in providing humanitarian assistance to earthquake-hit nation.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, exercising its right of reply at the High-Level Segment of 52nd session of the Human Rights Council, Seema Pujani, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, dismissed the reference to the statement made by Turkey and the OIC representative.

"As regards the OIC statement, we reject the unwarranted references to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," Pujani said in a statement on Friday.

"Turkey must to refrain from making unsolicited comments on our internal matters, she added.

However, OpIndia dismissed those reports claiming that Turkey had raked up Kashmir issue in the past, not at UNHRC recently after the earthquake after India extended humanitarian aide to the country.

Turkey has been the biggest ally of Pakistan, specially on Jammu and issue. In recent years, the Turkish leader has referred to the Kashmir issue in his address to world leaders at the high-level UN General Assembly sessions, causing strain in ties between India and Turkiye.

India in the past termed his remarks as "completely unacceptable", saying Turkiye should learn to respect the sovereignty of other nations and reflect on its own policies more deeply.

What is Operation Dost

'Operation Dost' is a search and rescue mission initiated by the Government of India to help Syria and Turkey, after they witnessed a massive earthquake that left thousands dead, injured and trapped under the rubble.

On 6th February, 2023 when two powerful earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, 3 truck load of relief materials were arranged at Hindon airbase consisting of life saving emergency medicines and protective items within 12 hours. Trucks started reaching by 10:00 am on 7th Feb, 2023, and handing over of the relief items to the Indian Air Force (IAF) begun by 04:00 pm. The last truck load reached by 09:30 pm and the flight departed to Syria with emergency relief material on the same day by 10:00 pm for the relief operation.

The consignment consisted of 5,945-ton emergency relief material which included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items and three categories of critical care equipments, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore.

On 10th February 2023, a bigger lot of relief materials was arranged for both Turkiye and Syria. The consignment for Syria consisted of 72 critical care drugs, consumables and protective items of 7.3 tons, valued at Rs 1.4 crore. Relief materials sent for Turkiye included 14 types of medical and critical care equipments, valued at Rs 4 crore.