New Delhi: Aviation watchdog BCAS Thursday revoked the security clearance for Turkish company Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd in the “interest of national security”, days after Turkiye backed Pakistan and condemned India’s strikes on terror camps in the neighbouring country.
Celebi, operating in the Indian aviation sector for over 15 years and employing over 10,000 people, offers its services at nine airports.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, who is personally monitoring the situation at airports, said national interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable.
“… the security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of national security,” the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) said in an order.
The security clearance to the company, part of Turkiye’s Celebi, was given in November 2022.
Celebi handles around 58,000 flights and 5,40,00 tonnes of cargo annually in India, as per its website. It is present at Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa (GOX), Ahmedabad and Chennai airports.
The decision of BCAS comes against the backdrop of Turkiye backing for Pakistan and its condemnation of India’s recent strikes on terror camps in the neighbouring country and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’. Pakistan had also used Turkish drones on a large scale in the military conflict with India.
There are also calls in certain quarters for boycotting Turkish goods and tourism in the wake of Turkiye backing Islamabad and condemning India’s recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. Some online travel portals and associations have also issued advisories asking people not to visit Turkiye.
In a statement, Celebi Aviation India said it remains in full compliance with Indian aviation, national security, and tax regulations and operates with complete transparency.
It rejected all allegations regarding the company’s ownership and operations in India and reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the country’s aviation sector.
“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 said in a statement.
According to Celebi’s website, it provides passenger, load control and flight operation, ramp, general aviation, cargo and postal, warehouse and bridge operation services.
A former official of Celebi said the company will take a big hit due to BCAS revoking the security clearance. India is the second largest revenue contributor for Celebi after Turkey, the official added.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Delhi airport operator DIAL said it has formally ended its association with Celebi entities responsible for ground handling and cargo operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt Ltd were overseeing ground handling and cargo terminal functions, respectively.
In the statement, Celebi Aviation India said it is 65 per cent owned by international institutional investors from across Canada, the US, the UK, Singapore, the UAE and Western Europe.
Actera Partners II LP, a Jersey-registered fund, holds 50 per cent ownership in Celebi Havacilik Holding A.S. The remaining 15 per cent is held by Alpha Airport Services BV, a Dutch-registered entity, it said.
Further, it said the Turkish shareholding is solely limited to members of the founding Çelebioglu family — Can Çelebioglu and Canan Çelebioglu — each holding 17.5 per cent stake.
“The company was originally established in 1958 by their father as Turkiye’s first private and independent ground handling company. Both siblings have no political affiliations or associations of any kind,” the statement added.
A senior industry official said that generally, an airport has at least two or more ground handling services providers.
State-owned AI Airport Services Ltd, AISATS, Bird Worldwide Flight Services Pvt Ltd, IndoThai Airport Management Services Pvt Ltd and Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd are among the major ground handling service providers at Indian airports.
PTI
