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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India Revokes Security Clearance for Turkish Firm Celebi: A Shift in Geopolitical Strategy, ET Infra
Highlights India's revocation of Celebi Aviation's security clearance signals a strategic shift after Turkey backed Pakistan during 'Operation Sindoor.' Experts like Jitender Bhargava say the move, driven by national security, was overdue. Legal voices assert the decision won't dent India's investment image, as security clearances reflect evolving geopolitical realities. Advt Advt By , ETInfra NEW DELHI: The decision of the government to revoke the security clearance to Turkish-origin ground handling firm Celebi, which until very recently operated at nine Indian airports, is not expected to have any long-term impact on foreign investments in the country and signals a recalibration in India's geopolitical the Galwan skirmish with China in 2020, the Indian government had taken measures to restrict investment of Chinese companies in India, indicating that hostilities and commercial relations cannot go together. Recent action against Celebi has been undertaken after Turkey provided diplomatic and military support to Pakistan against India during ' Operation Sindoor Apart from civilian passenger aircraft and at airports, Celebi also provided ground handling services for Indian military and government aircraft, according to the company's website.'India's decision to terminate ground handling agreements with Celebi Aviation signifies a strategic recalibration of its aviation and geopolitical priorities. The decision to discontinue Celebi arrangements is a significant step and reflects India's priority for the security and safety of its citizens,' said Poonam Verma Sengupta, Partner, JSA Advocates & Bhargava, aviation sector expert and former executive director of Air India backed the decision of the government highlighting that the decision should have been undertaken much earlier.'The ground handling firm can have an agreement with the airport operators or the airlines but the government action on the grounds of national security will have greater supremacy,' said is not the first time that developments in the Indian aviation sector which had a Turkish connection raised security 2022, Tata Group's appointment of former Turkish Airlines Chairman Ilker Ayci as managing director and chief executive officer at Air India, drew a lot of criticism and concerns. Reports alleged Ayci's had a role in facilitating investments of Egyptian-born Saudi Arabian national Yasin al-Qadi, who was earlier designated as a financier for Al-Qaeda by the US Treasury and the United Nations. Due to intense media scrutiny in India, Ayci later declined to accept the post offered by the Tata Ayci's earlier role as an advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also raised red flags in India.'Erdoğan has not been very hospitable to India, especially after the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir, and his policy towards India is having a significant impact,' said diplomatic relations with Turkey have strained since 2019, with a noticeable shift in Turkey's foreign policy. The Turkish President over the years has expanded the country's diplomatic and military relations with Pakistan and has termed Kashmir as a disputed territory, which India strongly Hemant Sahai, Founding Partner at HSA Advocates, who specialises in legal issues related to energy and infrastructure as well as regulatory and dispute resolution, expects the Celebi incident not to dent India's credential as an investment destination.'In my view, this decision will not have any long-term negative impact on foreign investments into India. Security clearances are inherently subjective and must be tested from time to time on the touchstone of geopolitics and strategic considerations,' said has legally challenged the decision taken by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, highlighting that it has been regularly audited by Indian aviation and security authorities, and maintained full compliance with Indian aviation, national security, and tax regulations, and provided complete transparency.
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Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India says it has concerns over Turkiye's help to Pak during Op Sindoor
The Centre has said that it has taken note of Türkiye's support to Pakistan prior to and during Operation Sindoor, including its diplomatic and defence assistance, and New Delhi expects Istanbul to look into its concerns on the issue. On Istanbul's military hardware support to Pakistan, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has said that it had already provided evidence to Türkiye in this regard on Monday. During a press briefing on Monday, conducted by Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti, and Director General of Naval Operations Vice Admiral AN Pramod, India presented visual evidence of the wreckage of a Turkish-origin Byker YIHA III kamikaze drone launched by Pakistan that was neutralised and recovered by the Indian military. Jaiswal said, 'I would say that we have obviously taken note of this. I direct your attention to the comments in (Monday's) defence briefing about the extent of their effectiveness or otherwise.' Off the record, government sources said while Türkiye remains a friendly nation, its continued support to Islamabad could have a bearing on India's ties with that country, including on Turkish companies working in India. Political parties, such as Shiv Sena (UBT), have already threatened to launch an agitation to demand the ouster of a Turkish company involved in ground handling at several airports, including Mumbai airport. On Wednesday, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an economic think tank affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), urged the government to impose economic sanctions on Türkiye. It also called for suspension of civil aviation links, discouraging outbound tourism and re-evaluating diplomatic engagements with Turkey due to its 'unholy alliance' with Pakistan that directly compromises India's security. In March 2022, Ilker Ayci, a former chief of Turkish Airlines, had declined to join Air India as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO), citing political controversies in India. At the time, the SJM had expressed reservations on Ayci's appointment. Its national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan had then said that the aviation industry cannot be equated with a wafers manufacturer, and that it was a matter of national security. It had pointed to Ayci's links with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a related development, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Wednesday urged Indian citizens to boycott travel to Türkiye and Azerbaijan. It said its nationwide campaign to boycott Chinese products has had a considerable impact, and it now intends to extend 'this movement to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.' The outfit will take further decisions on the issue at its meeting on Friday. CAIT is headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Lok Sabha member from Delhi's Chandni Chowk seat, Praveen Khandelwal. On Wednesday, Mahajan said that it is unfortunate that Türkiye didn't even condemn the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. 'During the devastating earthquakes in February 2023 in Türkiye, India was one of the first countries to launch Operation Dost, dispatching rescue teams and relief material,' Mahajan said. Traders, such as those who deal in imported Turkish apples and marble, have also issued boycott calls. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday, which claimed to represent 36 crafts of workers, technicians and artists in the Indian media and entertainment industry, appealed to Indian artistes and producers to boycott Türkiye as a shooting destination. According to a PTI report, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has suspended an academic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Türkiye's Inonu University, citing national security considerations, officials of JNU told the news agency. The MoU was inked on February 3 for a period of three years, which entailed plans for faculty and student exchange programmes, among others. Türkiye and Azerbaijan had criticised India's strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. According to a Reuters report from London on Wednesday, Türkiye's Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said during a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that geopolitical turmoil had, in recent years, been a drag on Türkiye's economy, which was now shifting. 'There are really strong signs that geopolitics may actually turn into a lifting factor, meaning a factor that is likely to help Türkiye,' he said.
