PM Narendra Modi tweets his thanks to India and Indians.

"To all those saying #ThankYouPM -- appreciate the sentiment -- real thanks should be to our great culture, which teaches us 'Seva Parmo Dharma'.

"If we want to thank anyone, it should be the 125 crore people of India who have made Nepal's pain their own & extended all help.

"We must thank our armed forces, NDRF teams, doctors and all those volunteers who are overcoming every obstacle to restore normalcy in Nepal.

"We owe a big thanks to the enthusiastic youngsters who are mobilising contributions for relief work be it cash, resources & medicines etc.

"The immense co-operation between Centre & the States is a major asset in times like these. A big thanks to all State Governments.

"And above all, we salute the resilience of our sisters & brothers in Nepal & parts of India, for their courage in the face of disaster."

The Indian Army has named the aid to Nepal 'Operation Maitri' or friendship, after India started extending help to the neighbouring country that was hit by a massive earthquake just before noon on Saturday, leaving a trail of death and destruction.

In addition to the specialist teams of its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), India has already moved large amounts of relief material to the Himalayan kingdom, besides its Air Force moving essential supplies to Nepal and flying back over 1935 of its stranded citizens from its capital Kathmandu since late Saturday.