The Turkish firm that handles the lion’s share of services at nine major airports in India, has lost its security clearance following Turkey’s support to Pakistan over Operation Sindoor and India’s move to boycott Turkey. This evening, an order from the Civil Aviation Ministry said the security clearance for Celebi Ground Handling India Private Limited “is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of national security”.
This marks India’s first direct action towards a Turkish company, although for the past several years, the government has intensified its interaction with historical adversaries of Turkey — Greece, Armenia, Cyprus, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the Arab coalition.
ALSO READ: Pak reacts to Defence Minister’s remarks on ‘Nuclear Arsenal’
Calls for boycott Turkey post Pakistan support
Over the past few days, the calls for boycott of Turkey and its products and services have grown significantly as alleged connections of the country in Pakistan’s military actions against India have surfaced.
Turkey is experiencing significant backlash in India, which involves reducing trade and tourism activities. Indian travelers are canceling trips to the country due to a “Boycott Turkey” movement, which also targets Turkish goods, gaining traction on social media.
In recent days, numerous leading universities in India – such as Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University – have terminated collaborations and programs with Turkey’s educational bodies.
ALSO READ: Actions on terrorists based on ‘Karma’, not ‘Dharma’: Rajnath Singh
Turkey has strong connections with both Azerbaijan and Pakistan, particularly in trade, banking, and tourism. The armed forces of the three countries rely on one another.
