Latest news with #Turkish-manufactured
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Centre defends revocation of security clearance to Turkish firm Celebi in high court on national security grounds
The Government opposed the petitions filed by Turkish firm Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd and another entity in Delhi High Court on Monday, challenging Bureau of Civil Aviation Security ( BCAS )'s decision to withdraw their security clearance. During the hearing before Justice Sachin Datta, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Centre and claimed that the decision was taken considering national security concerns based on specific intelligence inputs. The aviation security regulator BCAS cancelled the security permits shortly after Turkey supported Pakistan and criticised India's counter-terrorism operations in the adjacent nation. The companies were responsible for managing ground handling operations and cargo terminal services. "I am saying that it is a national security issue and the order (revoking clearance) reflects the same," Mehta said. Representing the companies, Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi contested that the decision stemmed from "public perception", which was not a valid justification. He added that the clearance was cancelled without providing any explanation or chance for representation. "It appears to me that is because of public perception because of the shareholding of the company of Turkish nationals," Rohatgi said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Strange sound was coming out of this House Letye Read More Undo He pointed out that the petitioners had been operating for 17 years, employing 14,000 people. Justice Datta questioned the court's authority to review such decisions and whether prior notification was required under these circumstances. The next hearing is scheduled for May 21. This comes as the government last week withdrew security authorisation for Celebi and its affiliated firms, citing national security interests. This decision affects Celebi's ground handling services, which are security-sensitive operations, across nine key Indian airports : Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Cochin, and Kannur. Ground handling operations at these sites are managed by Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd (CASIPL) and two other associated companies. "The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has revoked Celebi's security clearance on grounds related to national security. Nothing is above the security of our nation and our fellow citizens. National interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable," said Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu. The immediate implementation of this directive was interpreted as a signal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's government that nations seen as Pakistan's supporters will encounter economic repercussions. The situation developed after Pakistan allegedly utilised Turkish-manufactured drones during Operation Sindoor to strike Indian urban centres, leading to diplomatic tensions. Read more: Turkey-based Celebi Aviation moves high court over Centre's 'vague' reason for revoking security clearance Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
India Today
18-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Why India grounding Turkish aviation firm Celebi is a seismic security shift
Turning on the diplomatic heat in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India has revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services, a Turkish aviation ground ruling applies to Celebi's operations at nine of the country's busiest airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, where the company carried out sensitive assignments, such as cargo logistics and handling of official reason: national security. But underneath are layers of geopolitical unease, a turning over of India's security doctrine, and economic rebalancing in a region where diplomacy is often bound up with military revocation, announced by India's aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), states that the presence of Celebi in secure airside areas may not be safe. Celebi's aviation security clearance, under Rule 11 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, with effect from December 2, 2019, 'has been suspended indefinitely', the BCAS said in its May 15 in Istanbul, Celebi has over 10,000 employees globally, about 7,800 of them in India alone. It handles over 58,000 flights and 540,000 tonnes of cargo every year in the country. At Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, it has nearly 70 per cent of the ground-handling business. In other words, Celebi isn't your average retailer. It's a part of the Indian airport ecosystem—and uprooting it is no small company had it coming. It all followed Turkey's open political and military backing of Pakistan in the recent flare-up with India. And whether it is drones and surveillance systems or other ammunition, Turkey has for long been Pakistan's ally vis-a-vis the four-day military offensive, more than 350 Turkish-manufactured Bayraktar TB2 and Asisguard Songar drones were sent to Pakistan and used to undertake large-scale strikes on Indian military and civilian the airport ecosystem, ground handling is more than just marshalling planes and logistics. It encompasses load control, cargo security checks, passenger document checks and logistics coordination in sterile airport areas. India's aviation security mandarins say that at a time when crucial systems can be breached just as easily with a crowbar as with a computer, every access badge is a potential access have been no specific reports of any wrongdoing by Celebi India so far, but the government action appears to be one based more on preemption than on a sense of response. India's new security doctrine is that it considers terror attacks against it as acts of no easy to task to fill in the shoes of an entity as big as Celebi. At large airports like Delhi and Mumbai, unable to deal with increased load in a post-pandemic world, any operational vacuum is liable to snowball into delays, bottlenecks and reduced service airport operators, such as the GMR Group and Adani Group, are holding eleventh-hour talks to assign Celebi's slots to other licenced ground-handling companies. It is unclear how quickly that shift can happen. Airlines, especially those relying on Celebi's integrated services, will likely also need to overhaul contracts and workflow Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, operator DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) has stepped in to manage the transition, coordinating with existing ground-handling providers AISATS and Bird Group to maintain service continuity. For cargo operations, a pre-approved handler is being onboarded to avoid disruptions. DIAL has also assured that all elebi employees will be retained under new employers without any change in their terms of civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu has asserted that national security will always take precedence over commercial interests. 'Nothing is above the security of our nation and our fellow citizens,' he said, underlining that public safety is 'paramount and non-negotiable'.At the same time, the government is working to ensure that passenger experience and cargo operations remain uninterrupted. 'We are deploying special teams to oversee operations and address any emerging issues in real time,' the minister said. He added that the ministry is coordinating closely with airport operators to ensure a smooth transition and making efforts to safeguard the jobs of Celebi elebi has rejected what it calls 'misleading and factually incorrect' allegations circulating on social media about its ownership and political affiliations. The company clarified it is majority-owned by international institutional investors based in Canada, the US, the UK, and other countries, and is managed entirely by Indian professionals. 'We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard,' the company said, adding that it has operated in India for over 15 years, employs more than 10,000 Indians, and has invested over $220 million in aviation supporters on social media have been alleging that the firm has links to the family of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. elebi denied this, stating unequivocally that 'no one named Smeyye owns any shareholding in the parent organisation', and that the Turkish shareholding is limited to two founding family members with no political disallowing Chinese telecos and ramping up scrutiny for investment from countries with which India shares 'land borders', the government has been unapologetically direct in its recalibration of the economic engagement with national security as the new to that list now is Turkey—not yet formally, but ideologically. India is also a burgeoning alliance with Turkish geopolitical foes such as Greece, Cyprus and Israel. advertisementRevocation of security clearance of a ground handler of a foreign country is rare. In sectors such as telecom and energy, governments are pulling access rights or contracts all over the place when it comes to national security. Aviation is no different, especially since 9/11. Nevertheless, such revocations are typically sets the Celebi case apart is that the company has faced no trouble in India for over a decade since it began operating in the country. Its removal despite a perfectly clean record is an indication of India shifting its security doctrine from reactive to preventive. It also underlines Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new mantra: trade and terror cannot go on together. Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Hans India
18-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Academic Fallout: IIT Bombay Cuts Ties With Turkish Universities Amid Geopolitical Tensions
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has suspended all agreements with Turkish universities amid escalating calls to boycott Turkey over its military assistance to Pakistan during recent hostilities with India. "Due to the current geopolitical situation involving Turkey, IIT Bombay is processing suspension of its agreements with Turkish universities until further notice," the prestigious institution announced Saturday. Intelligence reports indicate Turkey provided Pakistan with drone technology and deployed military personnel to counter Operation Sindoor, India's military response following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Turkish-manufactured kamikaze drones were recovered on Indian territory after Pakistan's aerial incursion. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan further demonstrated support by communicating directly with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the crisis, while also dispatching significant military assets—including six aircraft and a warship—to Pakistan as tensions intensified. These developments have sparked widespread indignation across India, prompting calls for comprehensive boycotts of Turkish products and severance of institutional partnerships. IIT Bombay joins several other leading academic institutions in this stance. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has already suspended its Memorandum of Understanding with Turkey's Inonu University, while Jamia Millia Islamia has terminated all collaborative initiatives with Turkish institutions citing national security priorities. "JNU has suspended the MoU due to national security considerations as JNU stands with the nation and the armed forces, many of whom are JNU alumni," stated JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit. The recently signed agreement had outlined plans for faculty and student exchanges among other academic collaborations. The academic boycott has gained momentum with other institutions following suit. Kanpur University and Sharda University in Noida have canceled their partnerships with Turkish universities, while Delhi University is conducting a comprehensive review of its international academic relationships. This academic distancing represents only one dimension of a broader national response, as commercial traders have begun refusing to stock Turkish merchandise, travelers are canceling Turkish vacation plans, and major online travel platforms including EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have issued advisories against travel to Turkey and its allies.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- BBC News
Cache of illegal blank firing guns handed in to police amnesty
More than 40 guns which fire blanks were handed into Surrey Police and Sussex Police following a four-week firearms plea for Turkish-manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) ran the entire month of weapons are legal for over-18s to buy in the UK without a license however testing has shown some, prohibited brands are possible to convert into viable handguns. Surrey Police and Sussex Police Firearms and Explosive Licensing Unit said 42 illegal TVBFs were handed in to stations during the amnesty. Possession of prohibited brands - Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow - can carry sentences of up to 10 years. Legal TBVFs have a fully blocked barrel which can only discharge blanks and they are also recognisable as they are partially painted a bright colour. Illegal versions have been adapted to fire live rounds and are sometimes painted black to resemble a real handgun. According to police, converted blank firers have been used in at least four homicides in the UK in the last two years. Ch Insp Kara Tombling said: "We want to reassure the public that gun crime in Surrey and Sussex remains very rare, and the number of firearms handed in reflect that. "The seizure of these illegal top-venting blank firers will go a significant way to help protect the public."The amnesty is now over, but other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time following normal firearms surrender processes."
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
What we know as teenager, 16, shot dead in Stockwell, London
A manhunt has been launched after a teenager was shot dead in London. The latest act of violence on the streets of the capital was condemned as a "life wasted" by Vauxhall and Camberwell Green MP Florence Eshalomi, who urged any potential witnesses to get in touch with the Metropolitan Police. The force has confirmed a murder investigation has been launched, but no arrests are understood to have been made yet. Here's everything we know about the incident. Police said officers were called to Paradise Road, in Stockwell, south London. The street, which is less than 400 yards long, is also just minutes walk from Stockwell tube station, which serves the London Underground's Northern and Victoria lines. Emergency services were contacted at 3.21pm on Tuesday, 4 March, and alerted to reports of a shooting. Despite the efforts of paramedics from London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance, the victim, who is believed to be just 16 years old, died at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said it was still working to confirm the teenager's identity and contact his next of kin. According to the Telegraph, the victim was a regular customer at a shop close to the site of the shooting, whose manager described him as a "nice kid". No arrests are currently believed to have been made in connection with the shooting. Officers are understood to be reviewing CCTV footage from the area and potential witnesses have been urged to contact the police. Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, who is leading the investigation, said: 'This is an enormously shocking incident which I imagine will cause huge distress to the local community. 'Our thoughts are with the young boy's family at this devastating time. 'Local officers are on the scene gathering CCTV and speaking to witnesses to piece together what has happened. 'They will be supported by specialist homicide investigators shortly. 'Please rest assured we will work around the clock to identify and find those responsible.' Anyone with information about the shooting should call police on 101 with the reference 4116/4MAR. Independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. Fatal shootings have accounted for one in 10 homicides in London in the past three years, according to official figures: 2022 - 10 out of 104 2023 - 8 out of 104 2024 - 11 out of 103 A national amnesty saw more than 1,000 Turkish-manufactured top-venting blank-firing guns handed over to authorities during February in England and Wales. According to police, such weapons can be converted to fire live ammunition in as little as 20 minutes. There were 11 teen homicide victims in 2024, down from 21 in 2023; 14 in 2022; and 30 in 2021. Click below to see the latest London headlines
