India-Pakistan conflict: Turkish firm Çelebi faces Indians’ ire

A strong sentiment is building against Turkish companies operating in India and some people are calling for an end to all cooperation with the country in the wake of it openly supporting Pakistan aggression and hostilities against Indian in the post-Pahalgam days.

Shiv Sena leader Murji Patel on Tuesday led a delegation to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), urging them to end their association with Celebi NAS Airport Services, which handles around 70% of the ground operations at Mumbai airport.

Çelebi provides ground handling as Çelebi Airport Services India and cargo services as Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India at Delhi International Airport. In the last 10 years, it has handled a total of nine stations in India, consisting of Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa (GOX) and Ahmedabad & Chennai.

The company handles everything from passenger services and load control and flight operations to ramp services. Celebi also handles general aviation services, cargo and postal services, warehouses and bridge operation – with access to the most sensitive areas of the airport.

“The Turkish company Celebi was granted security clearance, ironically at the peak of post 26-11 events, when the UPA government was in power. Many Aviation trade unions affiliated to the Shiv Sena under late Balasaheb Thackerayji had vigorously opposed the entry of Celebi Nas as ground handlers at airports across India, being sensitive in nature. We even had morchas etc, at CSMIA back then. Since then, whenever the issue has surfaced due to India-Turkey problems, they have tried to cover up their Turkish ownership, by talking about the parent being owned by Private Equity companies,” tweeted Sanjay Lazar, an aviation consultant.

Celebi is not the only company in the aviation sector feeling the heat. India’s largest airline IndiGo has also been hit by severe social media turbulence. IndiGo not only has a code share partnership with Turkish Airlines and Corendon Airlines but also leases its aircraft from both for domestic and international operations. IndiGo also has daily Istanbul flights between Delhi and Mumbai.

Air India Express is also feeling the heat having signed a deal in February with Turkish Technic for the maintenance of its Boeing 737 fleet.