On May 15, the Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports announced the termination of their ground handling concession agreements with Çelebi. The decision follows the Government of India’s move to revoke the security clearance of Çelebi Airport Services India Ltd, a subsidiary of Turkish firm Çelebi Aviation Holding, citing the company’s alleged support for Pakistan.
Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports have instructed Turkish firm Çelebi to immediately hand over all ground handling facilities to ensure smooth and uninterrupted airport operations.
“Following the government of India’s decision to revoke Celebi’s security clearance, we have terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Celebi at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA),” a press note issued by CSMIA stated.
The development comes shortly after Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) officially ended its contract with Çelebi for ground handling and cargo operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), citing national security concerns.
“Accordingly, Çelebi has been directed to immediately hand over to us all ground handling facilities to ensure uninterrupted operations,” the Mumbai airport statement said, adding, “We will continue to provide seamless service to all airlines without disruptions through new ground handling agencies selected by it.”
India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, under the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, issued a notification on May 15 announcing the “revocation of security clearance in r/o Çelebi Airport Services India Ltd,” a subsidiary of Turkish-based Çelebi Aviation Holding.
The move comes amid rising calls to boycott the Istanbul-headquartered firm, following Turkey’s support for Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“All existing employees of Çelebi at CSMIA and SVPIA will be transferred to the new ground handling agencies on their existing terms and conditions of employment,” the press statement by Mumbai airport said.
Turkey is facing widespread backlash in India over its support for Pakistan, with a significant number of Indian tourists reportedly cancelling their travel plans to the country in recent days.
“Ground handling operations at our airports will remain unaffected. We are fully committed to upholding the highest standards of service and national interest,” the media statement said.
Çelebi has presence at 9 airports in India – Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad and Chennai. It provides ground handling as Çelebi Airport Services India and cargo services as Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India at Delhi.
Not a Turkish organisation: Çelebi
Çelebi Aviation India has firmly denied recent social media allegations about its ownership and operations in India, calling them “misleading and factually incorrect.” This statement comes amid increasing controversy following the revocation of its security clearance by Indian authorities.
“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,” the official statement said.
In a detailed statement, Çelebi Aviation India emphasized that it is a professionally governed, globally operated aviation services company, with majority ownership held by international institutional investors from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Western Europe.