Turkey's Celebi sues India over clearance pullback amid Pakistan conflict

NEW DELHI: Turkey-based Celebi, which provides airport ground handling in India, has launched a legal challenge to New Delhi’s decision to overturn its security clearance, arguing that “vague” national security concerns were cited without reasoning.

Amid growing public anger in India about Turkey’s stance on Pakistan in the India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian government on Thursday revoked Celebi’s security clearance in the “interest of national security”.

Celebi Airport Services India, in a May 16 filing seen by Reuters, asked the Delhi High Court to set aside that decision, arguing it would impact 3,791 jobs and investor confidence, and was issued without any warning to the company.

“Mere rhetoric of national security without elaborating upon in what manner is an entity a threat to national security is unsustainable in law,” the company said in the filing, which is not public.

The order “fails to disclose any specific or substantive reason except for a vague and general reference to ‘national security’… (it) provides no reasons or justification,” it added.

India’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is likely to be heard on Monday.

In its filing, Celebi said that while its shareholders were registered in Turkey, “majority end control” of the group is held by companies that do not have Turkish incorporation or origin.

In revoking Celebi’s clearance on Thursday, India’s junior aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol said on X the government had received requests from across India to ban Celebi. “Recognising the seriousness of the issue and the call to protect national interests, we have taken cognizance of these requests,” he said.

The Shiv Sena party, a key ally in Modi’s government, had held protests against Celebi in Mumbai this week, demanding the city’s airport sever ties with it.

Celebi in its filing said it was providing ground handling services at airports in New Delhi, Kerala, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Goa.

It had undergone background checks and security verifications by various national security and intelligence agencies in India before starting work, it added.

Delhi Airport late on Thursday said on X it had “officially ended its association with Celebi” for ground handling and cargo operations. Reuters reported on Friday that Air India was lobbying Indian officials to halt rival IndiGo’s leasing tie-up with Turkish Airlines citing business impact as well as security concerns sparked by Istanbul’s support for Pakistan.