Celebi Aviation India on Wednesday strongly denied what it called “false and misleading” allegations concerning its ownership and political affiliations, following the revocation of its security clearance by Indian authorities. The move comes amid heightened scrutiny over Turkey’s diplomatic support for Pakistan during recent tensions with India.
In response to a wave of online speculation suggesting ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s family, the company issued an official statement firmly rejecting the claims. Celebi clarified that it is neither politically affiliated nor Turkish-owned, stating it “unequivocally refutes” social media rumors and emphasising that it has no connection to Sumeyye Erdogan, the daughter of the Turkish President.
“There is no one named Sumeyye owning any shareholding in the parent organisation. The company’s ownership is limited to members of the Celebioglu family — Can Celebioglu and Ms Canan Celebioglu — who have no political affiliation. We are a professionally governed, globally operated aviation services company,” the statement said.
“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,” it added.
Ownership Structure
Celebi Aviation India has issued a detailed clarification on its ownership structure following the revocation of its security clearance by Indian authorities over national security concerns. The company stated that 65 per cent of its parent entity is held by institutional investors based in Canada, the US, UK, Singapore, UAE, and Western Europe. A 50 per cent stake in Celebi Hava Servisi A.S. (Celebi Havacılık Holding A.S.) is owned by Actera Partners II L.P., a fund registered in Jersey, while 15 per cent is held by Alpha Airport Services BV, a Dutch company.
The company’s response comes after its clearance to operate at Delhi Airport’s cargo terminal was withdrawn. Addressing the concerns, Celebi emphasised, “All our facilities are routinely audited by Indian authorities, including the CISF, BCAS, and AAI. We remain in full compliance with Indian aviation, national security, and tax regulations.”
Reaffirming its commitment to the Indian market, the company added, “Celebi remains fully committed to India and to contributing meaningfully to the country’s progress as a global aviation hub. We are confident that facts, transparency, and common sense will prevail over misinformation.”
The action against Celebi follows heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Turkey. Relations soured after Ankara publicly supported Pakistan and criticised India’s armed forces over Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. In light of this, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd. with immediate effect.
