Celebi, based in Turkey, which provides the management of airport land in India, has launched a legal challenge to New Delhi’s decision to cancel its security authorization, arguing that national security conerns “vagas” were encoded without reasoning.
In the midst of the growing public anger in India about Turkey’s position on Pakistan in the conflict of India-Pakistan, the Indian government revoked on Thursday the security authorization of Celebi in the “interest of national security.”
Celebi Airport Services India, in a May 16 presentation seen by Reuters, asked the Superior Court of Delhi to set aside that decision, arguing that it would affect 3,791 jobs and confidence of investors, and issued without any warning to the company.
“The mere rhetoric of national security without elaborating how an entity is a threat to national security is unsustainable in the law,” said the company in the filling, which is not public.
The order “cannot unleash any exception of specific or substantive reason for a vague and general reference to ‘national security’ … (IT) does not provide reasons or justification,” he added.
The government of India did not promote a request for comments. The case is likely to be heard on Monday.
In his presentation, Celebi said that while his shareholders were registered in Türkiye, the “majority control” of the group is in the hands of companies that have no incorporation or Turkish origin.
When revoking Celebi’s authorization in Thorsday, the Minister of Junior Aviation of India, Moels, said in X that the government received requests from all over India to prohibit Celebi. “Gathering the seriousness of the problem and the call to protect national interests, we have tasks that recognize thesis requests,” he said.
The Shiv Sena party, a key ally in the Modi government, had heroes protests against Celebi in Mumbai this week, demanding that the city’s airport will become the ties with him.
Celebi in his presentation said he was providing land management services at New Delhi, Kerala, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa airports.
He had undergone background verifications and security verifications by several national security and intelligence agencies in India before starting work, he added.
Delhi airport on Thursday night said in X that “officer had finished his association with Celebi” for land management and cargo operations.
Declaration: In line with a directive of the Civil Aviation Security Office (BCAS) with respect to national security, Dial has completed its association with the services of the çelebi India Pvt. Ltd. airport for land management and load operations at the IGI airport. (1/3)
– Delhi Airport (@Delhiairport) May 15, 2025
Reuters reported Friday that Air India was pressing Indian officials to sign Indigo’s lease with Turkish airlines, citing businesses and security conerns caused by Istanbul’s support for Pakistan. (Arpan Caturvedi report, William Maclean and Jan Harvey edition)
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Posted on May 16, 2025