News / Handler Celebi mounts legal challenge to security clearance ban at Indian airports

Global airport ground-handling service provider Celebi is legally challenging a decision by the Indian government to revoke its security clearance across ports that forced an abrupt halt to its operations.

The crackdown on Celebi Aviation was apparently a fallout from the geopolitics linked to recent India-Pakistan military tension, and the company has filed multiple lawsuits seeking urgent interim relief.

The company is part-Turkish owned, and New Delhi claimed the country had provided arms and other support to Pakistan during the standoff.

Legal arguments on the pleas have already begun in Delhi, according to updates. But the government has contested Celebi’s case for review, asserting it had ‘plenary’ powers to act in that fashion under certain circumstances.

The ground-handler, in its petition, noted that it was a privately held entity, independent of the Turkish government, and that the revocation came without it having been given a hearing opportunity.

“Celebi’s business in India is truly an Indian enterprise, led and managed by Indian professionals, deeply invested in the country, and committed to its growth,” the company told The Loadstar last week.

“We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard and adhere fully to globally accepted practices of corporate governance, transparency, and neutrality, with no political affiliations or links to any foreign government or individuals.”

Celebi has considerable stakes in Inda, with a presence in nine airports including Delhi and Mumbai. And the company was looking to broaden its operations as the Indian aviation industry is on the cusp of major infrastructure development and transformation.

“Celebi remains fully committed to India and to contributing meaningfully to the country’s progress as a global aviation hub,” it said.

However, local industry sources remain sceptical about Celebi’s chances of securing any sort of relief through the courts, or an overturn of the licence cancellation. India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security said it pulled security clearance for Celebi for reasons of “national security”.

Despite brief disruption following the sudden ban, Indian authorities were able to mitigate the impact of the handler’s absence through some interim fixes, notably re-employing Celebi staff by other ground-handling local agency networks, such as Air India SATS Airport Services, AI Airport Services, and Bird Group. Additionally, Adani Group-managed Mumbai International Airport also brought in IndoThai Airport Services, sources said.

And fresh tenders for the selection of new ground-handlers are likely soon.

“Much of the ground pressure is already behind us due to some swift remedial actions,” one cargo industry source in Mumbai told The Loadstar.

“Things are back to near-normal speed at Mumbai, and we think that’s the case at other locations.”