Celebi grounded: Security clearance pulled over Turkiye’s support to Pak
New Delhi: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India, the Indian subsidiary of Turkiye-based Çelebi Aviation, citing national security reasons. The decision comes into effect immediately.
The official order, issued by BCAS, stated, “...the security clearance in respect of Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of national security.” The clearance had originally been granted in November 2022 under the ground handling agency category.
The move follows recent geopolitical developments, including Turkiye’s vocal support for Pakistan during a period of heightened military tension in the region. Turkiye had publicly criticised India’s recent cross-border strikes targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), conducted under ‘Operation Sindoor’. Additionally, Pakistan had reportedly deployed Turkish drones during the conflict.
In response to these developments, Indian authorities are weighing measures to discourage travel to both Turkiye and Azerbaijan, countries that have expressed solidarity with Pakistan. Government sources said such actions may include reducing outbound tourism, curbing destination weddings, and discouraging film productions in the two countries.
“Indians spend crores of rupees in destination weddings, giving very good revenue to the two countries. We will see how we can slow down the hosting of such events,” an official source said.
Educational ties have also come under review. Jamia Millia Islamia announced the suspension of academic collaborations with institutions affiliated with the Turkish government. “Jamia Millia Islamia stands firmly with the Nation,” the university posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Other universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), have either suspended their collaboration with universities in Turkiye or are considering it.
In the wake of the BCAS order, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) confirmed it had terminated all contracts with Celebi entities operating at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. In a statement, DIAL said it was working with other service providers to maintain continuity and ensure employee welfare.
Çelebi Aviation India rejected concerns about its ownership and operations, stating, “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.”
Celebi Airport Services India operates at nine major Indian airports, including in Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, and has been active in the country for over 15 years.
Public sentiment has also shifted. In Pune, fruit traders symbolically discarded Turkish apples and vowed to halt imports. Suyog Zende, a trader from the city’s Agriculture Produce Market Committee, said he received a threatening message following the protest. “The message contained slurs for India and said we cannot do any harm to Pakistan or Turkiye,” Zende told reporters.
According to traders, Turkish apple imports alone are valued at around Rs 1,200 crore annually.
Meanwhile, industry associations such as the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) have urged Indian filmmakers to avoid Turkiye as a shooting location.
Government sources indicated that official support for film projects in Turkiye and Azerbaijan would likely be withheld going forward.
