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Turkish aviation company Celebi Airport Services India has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government following the abrupt cancellation of its contracts at multiple Indian airports. The company claims the termination—justified on grounds of undefined "national security concerns"—was driven by pressure from nationalist groups accusing Türkiye of supporting Pakistan.
On May 6, India launched missile attacks targeting Pakistani territory. Following the incident, members of the right-wing nationalist party Shiv Sena, including its prominent leader Murji Patel, publicly accused Türkiye of aiding Pakistan by allegedly supplying drones. These allegations, unsupported by evidence, triggered a backlash against Turkish entities operating in India.
Shiv Sena members staged protests at Mumbai International Airport, demanding that Turkish-affiliated companies be removed from the airport’s operations. Patel declared, “Türkiye helped Pakistan attack India with drones. No Turkish company will be allowed to operate in Mumbai.” He also claimed that the airport’s CEO had assured them the contract with Celebi would be terminated within 10 days.
The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry subsequently announced the revocation of Celebi Airport Services India's security clearances with immediate effect, citing national security interests.
On May 16, Celebi Airport Services India filed a petition with the Delhi High Court challenging the cancellations. The company emphasized that 3,791 employees could lose their jobs and that the decision was made without prior notice or proper explanation.
The company also stressed in its court filing that invoking national security without specific justification is “not legally sustainable.” The statement added that “how an asset poses a threat to national security must be clearly demonstrated.”
Celebi argued that although its shareholders are registered in Türkiye, the majority control lies with internationally reputable institutions not based in Türkiye. The company condemned the decision as baseless and politically motivated.
Celebi Holding further announced via the Public Disclosure Platform that it will pursue all legal and administrative avenues to reverse the termination. “These accusations are not based on facts. We will fight for the cancellation of these terminations,” the statement read.
According to Reuters, the Delhi High Court may begin hearing the case as early as Monday.
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