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 of Turkish airport ground handling major Çelebi Aviation Holding in the interest of “national security” with immediate effect.
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, the use of Turkish drones by Pakistan against India has added to the disapproval for Turkey in India. Questions were also raised particularly on Çelebi from some quarters, as the company operates at a number of Indian airports, which are seen as part of critical and security-related infrastructure.
“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 decision effectively brings most of Çelebi Airport Services India’s operations to a grinding halt.
Responding to reporters’ questions on Çelebi earlier on Thursday in , Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu had said: “We will take a decision in the interest of the nation. This is a security aspect. We are talking to the security agencies also. We will see what decision needs to be taken”.
Çelebi provides ground handling services to various international and domestic airlines operating out of nine airports, including , , Kochi, Kannur, , , , , and Goa (Mopa). The Çelebi group has presence in India through two other companies apart from Çelebi Airport Services India. These are joint venture companies ÇelebiNAS Airport Services India and Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India. The BCAS order mentions only Çelebi Airport Services India, and the government has so far not commented on whether the order has any implications for the other two Çelebi firms in the country.
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, with a workforce of around 7,800 employees.
The sudden cancellation of Çelebi Airport Services India’s security clearance could lead to some problems for airlines that are availing its services, who 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.
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.
