Will Celebi’s Security Clearance Revocation Disrupt Operations at Indian Airports?

Celebi Aviation Holding, a Turkish airport ground handling services company, has found itself at the centre of India’s growing tensions with Turkey over its support for Pakistan. On May 15, India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd—Çelebi’s Indian arm—citing “interests of national security”.

Following the move, GMR Group, which operates Delhi International Airport, and Adani Group, which manages airports in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, terminated ground handling and cargo operations with Çelebi.

Defending itself, Celebi Airport Services India stated that it is “truly an Indian enterprise”, employing Indian nationals, and is “not a Turkish organisation by any standard”.

Shares of Celebi Hava Servisi AS crashed 10% in Istanbul on May 16. The stock fell 222 points to trade at 2,002.

Celebi's Presence in India

According to its website, Celebi provides ground handling services to various domestic and international airlines at nine Indian airports—Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Kannur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Goa (Mopa). In addition to Celebi Airport Services India, the group operates in India through two other entities: ÇelebiNAS Airport Services India and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India.

CelebiNAS is a joint venture with Kuwait-based NAS and handles operations at Mumbai airport. Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, a joint venture with Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), provides cargo services.

As per Celebi Aviation Holding, its India operations manage 58,000 flights and 5.4 lakh tonnes of cargo annually. The company claims to employ over 10,000 Indians directly and has invested more than $220 million in long-term infrastructure projects in the country.

The government and airport operators’ decision has effectively brought Çelebi’s Indian operations to a standstill, potentially disrupting airlines that rely on its services. These carriers must now urgently secure alternative ground handling arrangements. Major players in India’s ground handling sector include AI Airport Services, Air India SATS Airport Services, and the Bird Group.

Why India Revoked Celebi’s Security Clearance

In a statement on May 15, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said that BCAS had revoked Çelebi's security clearance and that of its associated companies on national security grounds.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu emphasised that “nothing is more important than the security of the nation and its citizens. National interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable.”

Despite the action, the Ministry assured that passenger services, cargo operations, and service continuity would remain unaffected. Alternate arrangements have been made at all impacted airports to ensure smooth functioning.

The Minister is personally monitoring the situation, and the Ministry is actively coordinating with airport operators for a seamless transition. Efforts are also underway to retain existing Celebi employees and ensure their continued contribution to airport operations.

Celebi Defends Itself

“Celebi Aviation India unequivocally refutes all misleading and factually incorrect allegations circulating on social media regarding the company’s ownership and operations in India,” the company said in a statement, as reported by The Indian Express.

“Celebi Aviation India is a professionally governed, globally operated aviation services company. It is majority-owned (65%) by international institutional investors from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the UAE, and Western Europe. Actera Partners II L.P., a Jersey-registered fund, holds 50% in Celebi Havacılık Holding A.Ş. (Celebi Aviation Holding). The remaining 15% is held by Alpha Airport Services BV, a Dutch-registered entity,” the company said.

They further added, “We are not a Turkish organisation by any definition and fully adhere to globally recognised standards of corporate governance, transparency, and neutrality, with no political affiliations or ties to any foreign government or individual.”

Addressing social media speculation about alleged links to Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, Celebi clarified: “For the record, and in the interest of full transparency, there is no individual named Sümeyye holding any shares in the parent company. The only Turkish shareholders are members of the founding Celebioğlu family—Can Celebioğlu and Canan Celebioğlu—each holding 17.5%.”

It added that the company was founded in 1958 by their father as Turkey’s first private and independent ground handling firm. “Both siblings have no political affiliations or associations of any kind,” it said.

Why Turkey Is Facing Backlash in India

India is witnessing growing calls to boycott travel and business ties with Turkey following Operation Sindoor. The backlash stems from Ankara’s open support for Pakistan during recent India-Pakistan tensions and reports of Turkish drones being used by Pakistan against India. This has fuelled online campaigns and social media outrage, with even the IndiGo–Turkish Airlines partnership coming under scrutiny.

Travel platforms like MakeMyTrip, Ixigo, Cox & Kings, and Travomint have suspended bookings and promotions for Turkey and Azerbaijan. Travomint has also halted ticket sales for airlines from these countries.

Further fuelling the backlash are reports of Turkish military flights to Pakistan, underlining Ankara’s defence partnership with Islamabad—despite Turkey being a NATO member.

Once a top destination for Indian tourists, Turkey is now seeing a sharp decline in bookings. The situation mirrors the 2024 boycott of the Maldives after a diplomatic spat. MakeMyTrip reports a 60% drop in bookings and a 250% surge in cancellations for Turkey and Azerbaijan. EaseMyTrip also reported 22% and 30% cancellation rates for Turkey and Azerbaijan respectively.

Tour operators estimate 15–20% of bookings have already been cancelled. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is working with the travel industry to push for a broader boycott.

In 2024, more than 3.3 lakh Indians visited Turkey—a 21% rise over 2023. But that growth now appears to be reversing rapidly.