 "Representational image/PTI")
The Indian government has revoked the security clearance of Turkey-based Celebi Aviation, which handles high-security tasks at nine Indian airports, in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan conflict.
The sources in the Indian government earlier said New Delhi was going to sever trade ties, should it come to this, given Turkey’s role in supporting a “terror state".
Notably, Turkey had helped Pakistan with drones in its conflict with India.
In a press statement, the government said it was revoking the security clearance of the Turkish firm “in the interest of national security”.
Çelebi Ground Handling India Pvt. Ltd., operating under the umbrella of Turkey’s Çelebi Aviation Holding, is a provider of ground handling and cargo services across several major Indian airports.
Founded in 1958, Celebi was Turkey’s first privately-owned ground handling firm. Over the years, it has grown into a global aviation services provider with a presence across three continents, six countries, and 70 airports worldwide. The company employs over 15,000 people.
In India, Celebi entered the market with the aim of delivering world-class ground handling and cargo services. It soon established two dedicated entities: Celebi Airport Services India, which manages ground handling operations, and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India, responsible for cargo handling at Delhi’s international airport.
The firm provides service at nine major airports in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa(GOX) and Ahmedabad and Chennai.
A Moneycontrol report earlier revealed that Çelebi Aviation’s dealings with Indian carriers accounted for 25 per cent of the firm’s total business.
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Celebi’s staff operated in airside areas—zones that are strictly controlled due to their proximity to aircraft and other sensitive aviation infrastructure.
Defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra explained the connection to News18, “The matter is far more serious than it appears to be. We suspect around 10 per cent of the firm is owned by Sumeyye Erdogan, daughter of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Sumeyye Erdogan is married to Selçuk Bayraktar, the man who produces Bayraktar drones which Pakistan used against India. The Celebi terminal in Delhi overlooks the VVIP technical area where electronic intelligence aircraft are stationed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s VIP aircraft comes in the vicinity. I don’t need to spell out that this is alarming.”