Latest news with #SanjayLazar
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
IndiGo can't use Turkish Airlines aircraft after 31 August as it gets ‘last and final' extension
IndiGo has received a 'last and final' three-month extension from India's civil aviation regulator, after which it will have to stop using wet-leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines as the government curtails business ties with Ankara for supporting Pakistan. IndiGo can now use the aircraft till 31 August 2025 against the earlier deadline of 31 May 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Friday. The airline had sought an extension of six months, which was rejected. 'IndiGo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of 3 months based on the undertaking from the airline that, they will terminate the wet lease with Turkish Airline within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations,' the DGCA said. Sentiments are running high against Turkey in India for providing arms to Pakistan. India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day military conflict after 'Operation Sindoor' on 7 May, targeting nine terror launch pads across the border. 'Flights between India and Turkey are governed within the bilateral air service agreement,' IndiGo's chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said at an event in New Delhi on Friday. 'We are compliant today and we will continue to comply with any government regulations on those lines.' IndiGo signed a wet-lease agreement with Turkish Airlines in 2022 for two Boeing 777 widebody aircraft with a capacity of 500 passengers, connecting Delhi and Mumbai with flights to Istanbul. In a wet lease, an airline gets an aircraft along with the crew for a set period of time from another carrier. IndiGo currently has wet-leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Norse Atlantic Airways. IndiGo received its first plane from Turkish Airlines in February 2023 and the second in May 2023. 'Though I'm personally unhappy, given the Turkish connection, it's important to note extension has been given for just three months,' Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants, said. 'It's apparent that the DGCA has indicated that the airline should exit from the agreement as soon as possible.' IndiGo plans to add 10 international–across Europe and Central Asia–and four new domestic destinations in the financial year 2026. 'We will add Hindon, Adampur, Navi Mumbai and Noida as domestic destinations, which will take the total domestic destinations count to 95 in FY26,' Elbers said. 'In terms of international, we will add Manchester, Amsterdam, London, Copenhagen, Siem Reap, Athens and 4 more destinations in Central Asia, taking total international destinations count to 50 in FY26.' IndiGo will be starting its long-haul operations with non-stop connectivity from Mumbai to Manchester and Mumbai to Amsterdam from July 2025. The airline will use its wet-leased Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Norse Atlantic Airways.
India Gazette
15-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"Expect turbulence, but welcome move": Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar after Centre bans Turkish firm Celebi
New Delhi [India], May 15 (ANI): Aviation Expert and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Avialaz Consultants, Sanjay Lazar, on Thursday welcomed the Centre's move to revoke the security clearance of Turkish firm Celebi Airport Services. He added that the passengers will understand the 'good move for the greater good of national security.' 'I do expect turbulence. But all in all, it is a welcome move. BCAS has withdrawn the security permission, which means their staff will not be able to enter the airport. It is definitely going to disrupt airlines which are handled by Celebi NAS. I believe that passengers will understand that this is a good move for the greater good of national security,' Lazar told ANI. Earlier today, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that this decision was taken after multiple requests to ban the agency, recognising the call to protect national interest. The Union MoS exhorted that ensuring the safety and interests of the nation remains the top priority of the government. In a social media post on X, Mohol said, 'Revocation of Security Clearance of Celebi, Turkish company operating ground handling services at Indian Airports. We have received requests from across India to ban Celebi NAS Airport Services India Ltd, a Turkish company operating ground handling services at Indian airports.' 'Recognising the seriousness of the issue and the call to protect national interests, we have taken cognizance of these requests and Ministry of Civil Aviation has revoked security clearance of the said company. Ensuring the safety and interests of the nation remains our top priority,' the statement added. The Central government has revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns. Celebi handles about 70 per cent of ground operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, including passenger handling, load control, cargo services, postal services, warehouse management, and bridge operations. It also operates at multiple airports across India. In an official order, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) stated: 'The security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd, under the category Ground Handling Agency was approved by DG, BCAS vide letter no. 15/99/2022-Delhi-BCAS/E-219110 dated 21.11.2022. In the exercise of power conferred upon DG, BCAS, the security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of National Security. This issues with the approval of DG, BCAS.' The decision comes amid growing backlash against Turkey after it extended support to Pakistan during heightened tensions with India during Operation Sindoor, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Notably, addressing a press briefing on Friday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that on the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border to target military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations. She added, 'The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence. Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones...' Moreover, following Turkey's open support for Pakistan amid recent tensions between India and its neighbour, fruit merchants expressed strong protest against apples imported from Turkey. They condemned Turkey's stand during the India-Pak tension, calling it a betrayal to the nation and called on the central government to impose a complete ban or at least raise import duties above 100% on apples from about 44 foreign countries, particularly Turkey. Marble traders based in Udaipur, a key hub for marble in Rajasthan, also urged the central government to put a ban on imports from Turkey, whose drones were found to be used by the Pakistani side in the recent conflict. MakeMyTrip also urged people to avoid non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey over the two countries' support to Pakistan. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), representing the Indian film industry's workers, technicians, artists, and professionals, officially announced a complete boycott of Turkey for all film shoots and cultural collaborations. Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended all Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Turkish educational institutions, amid escalating calls across the country to boycott Turkey over its vocal support for Pakistan during the recent conflict. (ANI)
eNCA
26-04-2025
- Business
- eNCA
India and Pakistan's Kashmir fallout hits economy too
KASHMIR - Rapidly deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan over a deadly shooting in Kashmir are starting to have small but prickly economic consequences for both nations. The killing of 26 men on Tuesday in Indian-administered Kashmir, the deadliest attack on civilians in the Himalayan region in a quarter of a century, triggered public outrage across the world's most populous country. India has unveiled a series of mostly symbolic diplomatic measures against Pakistan, after accusing its regional rival of supporting "cross-border terrorism". Islamabad, which rejected the allegations, responded Thursday with similar tit-for-tat measures - but upped the ante by halting trade with New Delhi and closing its airspace to Indian airlines. Experts say that while the retaliatory moves will not have an immediate or far-reaching impact, it will likely result in longer and more expensive flights for Indians, while forcing Pakistan to increase pharmaceutical imports from other countries. Pakistan's decision to close its airspace to carriers from its neighbour will see journeys from India to Central Asia, Europe and North America take up to two hours longer. "We are currently looking at, on average, an extra 60 minutes to 120 minutes for flights depending on where they go," Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants, told AFP. 'Sabre rattle' Pakistan's move is expected to hurt Air India, owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Group, the most. Air India said that some flights to North America, Europe and the Middle East will have to take an "alternative extended route". And the extra flying time may eventually make flights more expensive. "There is extra fuel burn, because you're taking a more circuitous route," Lazar said. "And if you add an extra stop on the route, then you incur additional crew and landing costs too." Airfares could rise if restrictions continue beyond six months, though airlines are unlikely to hike up fares immediately to avoid the risk of "not appearing patriotic enough", he added. Mark D Martin, of Martin Consulting, said ticket prices could rise by more than 35 percent to Middle East destinations and by over 45 percent to Europe. AFP | Narinder NANU "It's always the airline business that gets impacted when India and Pakistan spar and sabre rattle," Martin said. "Let's hope better sense prevails, and this situation deescalates, as this will have an earning impact on airline financials." Indian government data shows that when Islamabad closed its airspace in 2019 -- after New Delhi hit it with airstrikes in response to an attack in Kashmir -- domestic airlines saw a financial cost of nearly 5.5 billion rupees ($64.3 million) during the nearly five-month-long shutdown. Third country trade But analysts say Pakistan's decision to halt trade is unlikely to have a major impact, as regular diplomatic flare-ups between the two nations over decades have prevented close economic ties. India exported less than $450 million in goods to Pakistan between April 2024 and January 2025, a tiny fraction of its overall shipments. Key items included pharmaceutical products worth over $110 million, and sugar worth over $85 million. "Imports from Pakistan were negligible -- just $0.42 million, limited to niche items like figs, basil and rosemary herbs," Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think tank, said in a briefing note. AFP | Arif ALI But Islamabad also said Thursday it had suspended "all trade with India" including "to and from any third country through Pakistan". It is not immediately clear how this would impact indirect trade through countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Singapore. Indirect trade is far higher, totalling around $10 billion, according to Srivastava. "Informal sources say that Pakistan imports several Indian products this way, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cotton and yarn," he said. "On the other hand, India may receive Himalayan pink salt and dry fruits such as dates, apricots, and almonds from Pakistan, also routed through third countries." By Anuj Srivas
CNA
26-04-2025
- Business
- CNA
India and Pakistan's Kashmir fallout hits economy too
MUMBAI: Rapidly deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan over a deadly shooting in Kashmir are starting to have small but prickly economic consequences for both nations. The killing of 26 men on Tuesday (Apr 22) in Indian-administered Kashmir, the deadliest attack on civilians in the Himalayan region in a quarter of a century, triggered public outrage across the world's most populous country. India has unveiled a series of mostly symbolic diplomatic measures against Pakistan, after accusing its regional rival of supporting "cross-border terrorism". Islamabad, which rejected the allegations, responded on Thursday with similar tit-for-tat measures - but upped the ante by halting trade with New Delhi and closing its airspace to Indian airlines. Experts say that while the retaliatory moves will not have an immediate or far-reaching impact, they will likely result in longer and more expensive flights for Indians, while forcing Pakistan to increase pharmaceutical imports from other countries. Pakistan's decision to close its airspace to carriers from its neighbour will see journeys from India to Central Asia, Europe and North America take up to two hours longer. "We are currently looking at, on average, an extra 60 minutes to 120 minutes for flights depending on where they go," Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants, told AFP. 'SABRE RATTLE' Pakistan's move is expected to hurt Air India, owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Group, the most. Air India said that some flights to North America, Europe and the Middle East will have to take an "alternative extended route". And the extra flying time may eventually make flights more expensive. "There is extra fuel burn, because you're taking a more circuitous route," Lazar said. "And if you add an extra stop on the route, then you incur additional crew and landing costs too." Airfares could rise if restrictions continue beyond six months, though airlines are unlikely to hike up fares immediately to avoid the risk of "not appearing patriotic enough", he added. Mark D Martin, of Martin Consulting, said ticket prices could rise by more than 35 per cent to Middle East destinations and by over 45 per cent to Europe. "It's always the airline business that gets impacted when India and Pakistan spar and sabre rattle," Martin said. "Let's hope better sense prevails, and this situation deescalates, as this will have an earning impact on airline financials." Indian government data shows that when Islamabad closed its airspace in 2019 -- after New Delhi hit it with airstrikes in response to an attack in Kashmir -- domestic airlines saw a financial cost of nearly 5.5 billion rupees (US$64.3 million) during the nearly five-month-long shutdown. THIRD COUNTRY TRADE But analysts say Pakistan's decision to halt trade is unlikely to have a major impact, as regular diplomatic flare-ups between the two nations over decades have prevented close economic ties. India exported less than US$450 million in goods to Pakistan between April 2024 and January 2025, a tiny fraction of its overall shipments. Key items included pharmaceutical products worth over US$110 million, and sugar worth over US$85 million. "Imports from Pakistan were negligible -- just US$0.42 million, limited to niche items like figs, basil and rosemary herbs," Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think tank, said in a briefing note. But Islamabad also said Thursday it had suspended "all trade with India" including "to and from any third country through Pakistan". It is not immediately clear how this would impact indirect trade through countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Singapore. Indirect trade is far higher, totalling around US$10 billion, according to Srivastava. "Informal sources say that Pakistan imports several Indian products this way, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cotton and yarn," he said.
Int'l Business Times
26-04-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
India And Pakistan's Kashmir Fallout Hits Economy Too
Rapidly deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan over a deadly shooting in Kashmir are starting to have small but prickly economic consequences for both nations. The killing of 26 men on Tuesday in Indian-administered Kashmir, the deadliest attack on civilians in the Himalayan region in a quarter of a century, triggered public outrage across the world's most populous country. India has unveiled a series of mostly symbolic diplomatic measures against Pakistan, after accusing its regional rival of supporting "cross-border terrorism". Islamabad, which rejected the allegations, responded Thursday with similar tit-for-tat measures -- but upped the ante by halting trade with New Delhi and closing its airspace to Indian airlines. Experts say that while the retaliatory moves will not have an immediate or far-reaching impact, it will likely result in longer and more expensive flights for Indians, while forcing Pakistan to increase pharmaceutical imports from other countries. Pakistan's decision to close its airspace to carriers from its neighbour will see journeys from India to Central Asia, Europe and North America take up to two hours longer. "We are currently looking at, on average, an extra 60 minutes to 120 minutes for flights depending on where they go," Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants, told AFP. Pakistan's move is expected to hurt Air India, owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Group, the most. Air India said that some flights to North America, Europe and the Middle East will have to take an "alternative extended route". And the extra flying time may eventually make flights more expensive. "There is extra fuel burn, because you're taking a more circuitous route," Lazar said. "And if you add an extra stop on the route, then you incur additional crew and landing costs too." Airfares could rise if restrictions continue beyond six months, though airlines are unlikely to hike up fares immediately to avoid the risk of "not appearing patriotic enough", he added. Mark D Martin, of Martin Consulting, said ticket prices could rise by more than 35 percent to Middle East destinations and by over 45 percent to Europe. "It's always the airline business that gets impacted when India and Pakistan spar and sabre rattle," Martin said. "Let's hope better sense prevails, and this situation deescalates, as this will have an earning impact on airline financials." Indian government data shows that when Islamabad closed its airspace in 2019 -- after New Delhi hit it with airstrikes in response to an attack in Kashmir -- domestic airlines saw a financial cost of nearly 5.5 billion rupees ($64.3 million) during the nearly five-month-long shutdown. But analysts say Pakistan's decision to halt trade is unlikely to have a major impact, as regular diplomatic flare-ups between the two nations over decades have prevented close economic ties. India exported less than $450 million in goods to Pakistan between April 2024 and January 2025, a tiny fraction of its overall shipments. Key items included pharmaceutical products worth over $110 million, and sugar worth over $85 million. "Imports from Pakistan were negligible -- just $0.42 million, limited to niche items like figs, basil and rosemary herbs," Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think tank, said in a briefing note. But Islamabad also said Thursday it had suspended "all trade with India" including "to and from any third country through Pakistan". It is not immediately clear how this would impact indirect trade through countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Singapore. Indirect trade is far higher, totalling around $10 billion, according to Srivastava. "Informal sources say that Pakistan imports several Indian products this way, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cotton and yarn," he said. "On the other hand, India may receive Himalayan pink salt and dry fruits such as dates, apricots, and almonds from Pakistan, also routed through third countries." India and Pakistan are locked in an escalating diplomatic war of words after New Delhi said Islamabad was linked to a militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir AFP Air India said that some flights to North America, Europe and the Middle East will have to take an "alternative extended route" AFP Regular diplomatic flare-ups between the two nations over decades have prevented close economic ties AFP
