Adani Cuts Ties with Turkey & China based Companies

Adani Airports has terminated agreements with both Turkish ground handling firm Çelebi and Chinese lounge access provider DragonPass due to national security concerns.

The Indian government revoked Celebi's security clearance, citing national security risks. Adani Airports directed Celebi to hand over all ground handling facilities at Mumbai and Ahmedabad International Airports.

Çelebi Aviation

Celebi was responsible for ground handling at Mumbai and Ahmedabad International Airports. Adani Airports has directed the company to hand over all facilities, ensuring seamless service through new agencies.

Çelebi Aviation is a Turkish-origin ground handling firm that has operated in India for over 15 years.

Termination of agreement with Celebi is a shake-up in India’s aviation sector which could lead to new players entering the ground handling space considering the fact that the firm entered India in 2009 and its presence in India has been significant, handling 58,000 flights annually and employing 7,800 people.

Celebi initially partnered with Mumbai International Airport to provide ground handling services. Over the years, it grew to operate at nine major airports, including Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad, and Chennai

Celebi Aviation India claims it is not a Turkish firm, stating that 65% of its ownership lies with international investors from Canada, the US, the UK, Singapore, the UAE, and Western Europe.

However, Celebi Havacılık Holding A.Ş., a Turkish entity, holds 50% ownership, raising concerns about its Turkish affiliations.

DragonPass

Adani Airports terminated its association with DragonPass, which provided digital airport lounge access. DragonPass customers can no longer access lounges at Adani-managed airports.

Announced just in last week, the Adani-Dragonpass collaboration would have had allowed Dragonpass to gain access to all Adani-managed airport lounges, along with additional key lounges across India.

According to news agency IANS, Adani's association with DragonPass, which provided access to airport lounges, has been terminated with immediate effect.

The move comes amid heightened tensions between India and Turkey, following Ankara’s support for Pakistan after India's recent military action, Operation Sindoor.

Our association with DragonPass, which provided access to airport lounges, has been terminated with immediate effect. DragonPass customers will no longer have access to lounges at Adani-managed airports. This change will have no impact on the airport lounge and travel experience… pic.twitter.com/p0hol3GYIO

— IANS (@ians_india) May 15, 2025

The termination of these partnerships could reshape India’s aviation sector, affecting ground handling operations and digital lounge access services.

This decision reflects India’s tightening stance on foreign partnerships, particularly in critical infrastructure sectors. What do you think about this shift? Comment your opinion below...