On 6th February, 2023, Turkey witnessed the most devastating earthquake of magnitude Mw = 7.8. Widespread damage to built environment, i.e., buildings, bridges, towers, roads and rail infrastructure etc., highlighted the poor analysis, design and construction practices adopted by the responsible authorities that resulted in the huge economic loss and human sacrifices. In few cases, it was found that the superstructure was intact but the foundation failed due to inadequate and poor design. In a particular case, a simple raft / slab foundation provided to multi-storey building was unable to resist the lateral load due to earthquake loading and simply toppled. In the present study, model experimental studies were first performed to assess the lateral stability of single pile installed at vertical position as well as at some inclination and lateral load vs. lateral displacement curves at pile tip were compared. Similar exercise was done, numerically, using commercially available FEM based tool PLAXIS 2D. Later, numerical simulation of lateral load carrying capacity of the pile group under pseudo-static loading were considered in which peripheral piles were placed inclined position. From the study, it is demonstrated that lateral load carrying capacity of the pile groups installed with inclined piles provides better stability to super structure under lateral load. Better stability is achieved when piles are installed with an inclination of ± 20–25° from the vertical.