Turkish companies’ engagement in ground handling at Indian airports has been flagged as a significant issue
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VELANKANNI RAJ B
Simmering public anger against Turkey has led the Centre to conduct a thorough review of the aviation ties between India and the West Asian country, sources told businessline.
According to sources, a thorough review of existing partnerships between domestic companies and those from Turkey in the aviation sector is underway, with senior officers examining the issue.
“Two primary concerns have been identified: codeshare agreements and ground handling services,” sources told businessline.
“Ground handling has been flagged as a more significant issue, given its broader implications for national interests.”
The government, as per sources, will take necessary action only if any of these aviation ties are found to be detrimental to India’s national interests.
Market penetration
Presently, airline major IndiGo has a codeshare agreement and strategic partnerships with Turkish Airlines. Besides, Turkish companies like Celebi (ground handling) and Turkish Technic (past maintenance work with Air India) have a presence in India’s aviation sector.
Meanwhile, security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India was revoked by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security with immediate effect in the interest of national security.
Çelebi presently offers ground handling services at 9 airports, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Bangalore, Kannur, and Hyderabad.
It provides a range of services including ramp, passenger, cargo handling, bridge operations, and lounge management.
Concerns flagged
The move to review the presence of Turkish companies in India’s aviation sector, said industry insiders, was triggered by public anger towards Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China for their open support for Pakistan during ‘Operation Sindoor.’
Besides, public outcry has intensified calls for the suspension of India’s civil aviation links with these countries. Concerns also persist regarding ongoing negotiations to resume civilian flights between India and China.
On Wednesday, in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal had urged the government to review aviation partnerships, particularly those involving Turkish Airlines.
Khandelwal stated that the “overt support” of these countries for Pakistan “amidst the ongoing hostilities has caused significant distress among the public and has raised concerns regarding our national sovereignty and security.”
He argued that “continued aviation partnerships with countries siding openly with hostile entities sends a contradictory and disheartening message to our citizens” at a time of heightened national sentiment and military action.
Khandelwal specifically called for a temporary suspension of collaborations with Turkish Airlines and increased scrutiny of aviation activities involving China and Azerbaijan.
Boycott travel
On its part, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) called for a travel boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan, suggesting that this could significantly impact their tourism-dependent economies.
CAIT cited 2024 data indicating that approximately 300,000 Indians visited Turkey (contributing $291.6 million) and 250,000 visited Azerbaijan (contributing $308.6 million).
Additionally, a MakeMyTrip (MMT) spokesperson on Monday reported a 60 per cent decline in bookings and a 250 per cent surge in cancellations for Azerbaijan and Turkey in the past week, adding that they have been advising against non-essential travel to these destinations. MMT has also discontinued all promotions for these countries.
Prior to MMT, another OTA ixigo had already suspended all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China on its platform. ixigo’s Group CEO, Aloke Bajpai, emphasised acting responsibly and in alignment with India’s broader interests, prioritising the trust and safety of Indian travellers, and stated, “’Blood and bookings won’t flow together.”
Published on May 15, 2025