New Delhi: The Indian government has revoked the security clearance of Turkish company Çelebi Aviation, which handles crucial ground operations at several major airports across the country, including Mumbai and Delhi.
The move comes amid escalating outrage over Turkey’s alleged support to Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan standoff triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, through the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), issued a notification citing ‘national security concerns’. “In exercise of powers conferred upon DG, BCAS, the security clearance in respect of Çelebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of national security,” the notice signed by Joint Director (Ops) Sunil Yadav stated.
Çelebi Aviation, headquartered in Istanbul, operates ground handling services at several Indian airports through its subsidiary, Çelebi Airport Services India. The firm’s clearance, originally approved in November 2022, has now been withdrawn following mounting political and public pressure.
Ultimatum and national security concerns
The move follows a strong ultimatum by Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), which demanded the immediate termination of Çelebi’s contract at Mumbai International Airport. Citing security concerns, Sena leader Murji Patel said, “Turkey may not be firing weapons directly, but supplying drones that are used to target our borders is no less than a hostile act.”
Patel, MLA from Andheri East, led a delegation to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) earlier this week, asking them to cancel the contract within 10 days or face protests.
Operation Sindoor fallout
India strikes during ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7 targeted militant camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK). In the aftermath, social media platforms have been flooded with boycott calls targeting Turkish and Azerbaijani products and services, with Turkey accused of supplying drones to Pakistan.
Travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan have taken a hit, with MakeMyTrip reporting a 60% drop in bookings and a 250% surge in cancellations over the past week.
Çelebi Aviation
Founded in 1958, Çelebi Aviation is Turkey’s first privately-owned ground handling firm and now operates across six countries and 70 stations, employing over 15,000 people. In India, Çelebi runs two entities: Çelebi Airport Services India for ground operations and Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management for managing cargo services at Delhi airport.
