In a relief for Turkish aviation ground handler Celebi, the Bombay High Court on Monday directed Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) to pause all action on awarding fresh contracts for ground and bridge handling services at the city’s bustling international airport.
Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan, while issuing the interim order, made it clear that no final steps should be taken on the new tenders until Celebi’s petitions are heard post the court’s summer break in June, according to PTI.
The courtroom drama unfolds against the backdrop of a fast-escalating diplomatic and legal tussle, triggered by India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoking Celebi’s security clearance earlier this month. The decision, reportedly driven by national security concerns, has led airports across the country to swiftly terminate contracts with the Turkish firm’s Indian subsidiaries.
The revocation followed a diplomatic flashpoint after Turkey publicly backed Pakistan in the wake of Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to cross-border terrorism. That support appears to have had commercial consequences: Celebi’s Indian operations, particularly at critical aviation hubs like Mumbai and Delhi, are now under intense scrutiny.
In Mumbai, Celebi Nas Airport Services India—responsible for crucial bridge and ground handling services—has hit back legally, filing three separate petitions challenging both the BCAS directive and MIAL’s subsequent termination of contracts. Celebi, which holds a 59% stake in its Mumbai joint venture, argued that the government’s move was arbitrary, disproportionate, and lacked legal grounding.
The firm has urged the court to quash the BCAS order, reinstate the terminated agreements—including the Bridge Mounted Equipment Service Agreement, the Ground Handling Services contract, and the Concession Agreement—and to halt MIAL’s fresh tender process initiated on May 17.
The battle isn’t limited to Mumbai. Celebi’s sister firms, Celebi Airport Services India and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India, have approached the Delhi High Court seeking similar relief after their contracts were axed at the national capital’s airport.
