Amid the backlash in India over Turkey’s support for Pakistan in the in the India-Pakistan conflict, India’s aviation security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday revoked the security clearance of an Indian arm—Çelebi Airport Services India—of Turkey-headquartered airport ground handling major Çelebi Aviation Holding on grounds related to “national security” with immediate effect. Defending itself, Çelebi Airport Services India said that it is “truly an Indian enterprise” led and managed by Indian professionals, and is “not a Turkish organisation by any standard”.
The past few days have seen a growing clamour for a travel boycott of Turkey and review of Turkish firms’ presence in India in the wake of Operation Sindoor. Apart from Ankara’s open support for Islamabad amid the India-Pakistan military conflagration of last week, widespread use of Turkish drones by Pakistan in operations against India has added to the disapproval for Turkey in India. Questions were also raised on Çelebi from some quarters, as the company operated at a number of Indian airports, which are seen as part of critical and security-related infrastructure.
The decision effectively brings Çelebi’s India operations to a grinding halt, which could lead to some problems for airlines that are availing its services as they would now have to quickly make arrangements for ground handling by other firms. The other major ground handling players in India’s aviation sector include AI Airport Services, Air India SATS Airport Services, and the Bird group. Following the BCAS order, Delhi International Airport (DIAL) severed ties with Çelebi entities for ground handling and cargo operations at the Capital’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
“In the exercise of power conferred upon DG (Director General), BCAS, the security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of National Security. This issues with the approval of DG, BCAS,” a BCAS order issued on Thursday stated. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said that the security clearance revocation also applies to Çelebi’s other associate companies.
“Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Govt of India, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu has made it clear that nothing is above the security of our nation and our fellow citizens. National interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable. At the same time, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is fully committed to ensuring that passenger convenience, cargo operations, and service continuity remain unaffected. Arrangements have been made at all affected airports to ensure seamless handling of passengers and cargo,” MoCA said in a release, adding that the ministry is in active coordination with airport operators to smoothly manage the transition and efforts are being made to ensure that employees working with Çelebi are retained by other service providers.
IGI Airport operator DIAL said that it is working with other ground handling players and cargo handlers to ensure “continuity and operational stability”. Additionally, DIAL has assured that all employees currently on the rolls of Çelebi entities for cargo and ground handling services at IGI Airport will be transitioned to the new employers. Ground handling refers to operations that are critical for flights to be prepared and operated. These include passenger handling and check-in, baggage handling, cargo handling and management, aircraft servicing and maintenance, ramp services, and catering.
In a media statement, Çelebi Airport Services India said that it is a globally operated aviation services company with no political links or affiliation, and is majority-owned by international institutional investors from various parts of the world. The company also termed as “factually incorrect” the allegations about its ownership that have been doing rounds on social media. These include the claim that Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar—daughter of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—is a part owner in Çelebi. The company categorically rejected this claim.
Story continues below this ad
Çelebi provides ground handling services to various international and domestic airlines operating out of nine airports—Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Kannur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Goa (Mopa). Apart from Çelebi Airport Services India, the Çelebi group has presence in India through two other companies—ÇelebiNAS Airport Services India and Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India. ÇelebiNAS Airport Services India—a joint venture between Çelebi and Kuwait-based NAS—is a ground handling agent at the Mumbai airport, while Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management is a joint venture between Çelebi and Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), and provides cargo services.
According to information on Çelebi Aviation Holding’s website, its India operations span 58,000 flights and 5.4 lakh tonnes of cargo annually. Çelebi said it directly employs over 10,000 Indians and has contributed over $220 million in long-term infrastructure investments in India.
‘Not a Turkish organisation’: Çelebi defends itself
“Çelebi Aviation India unequivocally refutes all misleading, and factually incorrect allegations circulating on social media regarding the company’s ownership and operations in India…Çelebi Aviation India is a professionally governed, globally operated aviation services company. Today, it is majority-owned (65%) by international institutional investors from across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Western Europe. Actera Partners II L.P., a Jersey-registered fund holds 50% ownership in Çelebi Havacılık Holding A.Ş. (Çelebi Aviation Holding). The remaining 15% is held by Alpha Airport Services BV, a Dutch-registered entity,” Çelebi Aviation India said in a statement.
“We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard and adhere fully to globally accepted practices of corporate governance, transparency, and neutrality, with no political affiliations or links to any foreign government or individuals,” it added.
Story continues below this ad
Responding specifically to social media speculation claiming Çelebi’s links to Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, the company said: “For the record and in line with complete transparency there is no one named Sümeyye owning any shareholding in the parent organisation. The Turkish shareholding is solely limited to members of the founding Çelebioğlu family; Mr. Can Çelebioğlu and Ms. Canan Çelebioğlu (each holding 17.5%)… The company was originally established in 1958 by their father as Turkey’s first private and independent ground handling company. Both siblings have no political affiliations or associations of any kind”.
“Çelebi remains fully committed to India and to contributing meaningfully to the country’s progress as a global aviation hub. We are confident that facts, transparency, and common sense will prevail over misinformation,” the company said, adding that all its facilities are governed and regularly audited by India’s aviation and security authorities and that it remains in full compliance with
Indian aviation, national security, and tax regulations.