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Turkish aviation ground services provider Celebi has secured a key legal victory in India, winning interim relief from the Bombay High Court that halts a new ground handling tender and grants access to its assets amid efforts to remove the firm from Mumbai International Airport.
The ruling came in response to arbitration proceedings initiated by Celebi’s local subsidiary, Celebi Nas Airport Services India Private Limited, as it faced exclusion from airport operations.
On May 26, the Bombay High Court ruled in favor of Celebi Nas in two arbitration cases filed against Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the Turkish company reported on Tuesday. The court’s injunction temporarily halts further disruption to the company’s operations and provides access to crucial operational information.
According to the ruling, MIAL must suspend its tender process—launched on May 17 to select a new ground handling service provider—until at least June 12. The court also ordered that Celebi Nas be granted entry to the airport to compile an inventory of its assets and directed Indo Thai Management Services Private Limited, which has taken over Celebi’s operations, to share financial and operational data with the Turkish firm.
The company stated it will continue to pursue all available legal and administrative measures to dispute what it described as "false claims" and to reverse the termination of its airport service contracts.
In contrast to the developments in Mumbai, Celebi’s subsidiary in Chennai suffered a major setback. On May 26, the company reported that its ground handling license agreement at Chennai International Airport (MAA), valid through 2033, was unilaterally terminated by the airport authority.
The decision followed a May 15 move by India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to revoke the security clearance of Celebi GS Chennai Private Limited (CGSC), Celebi’s wholly owned local subsidiary. Authorities cited alleged national security concerns as the basis for the revocation. The company rejected the claims, asserting that its subsidiary had fully complied with all applicable laws and had never engaged in any conduct that would violate India’s national security interests.
In response to the cancellation, Celebi filed two arbitration cases before the High Court of Judicature at Madras on May 26 and 27 against the Airports Authority of India, seeking injunctions to prevent what it called the unjustified termination of the Chennai contract.
The recent legal actions follow a wave of political backlash against Turkish entities in India, as calls for boycotts and the removal of Türkiye-affiliated companies spread across the country after missile strikes on Pakistani territory on May 6 and Türkiye’s perceived support for Pakistan.
These calls culminated in the revocation of Celebi’s security clearances by the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry, citing national security concerns.
Celebi has stated that it is actively pursuing legal remedies in response to the recent developments.
In its filings to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), Celebi emphasized its commitment to maintaining regulatory compliance and operational standards, while continuing to evaluate the implications of the recent contract terminations through legal and administrative channels.
Meanwhile, the company also announced that trading of its shares on Borsa Istanbul has been suspended due to these developments.
Founded in 1958, Celebi Aviation is Türkiye’s first private ground handling company. It currently operates at six airports across India and employs approximately 7,800 staff.
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