Sending out a big signal after Turkey supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the Centre has asked IndiGo to end its aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines within three months. The action comes just weeks after the government revoked the security clearance for a Turkey-linked firm, Celebi Aviation, which handled services at nine key airports in India, including Delhi.
IndiGo, which has leased and operates two Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines, had a permit to do so until May 31 and had sought an extension from the Ministry of Civil Aviation for six months. The ministry has refused to allow this.
A statement from the ministry, however, said that "to avoid passenger inconvenience due to immediate flight disruption", IndiGo has been granted a three-month extension till August 31. The ministry made it clear that this will not be extended further.
"Indigo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months up to 31.08.2025 for these damp-leased aircraft, based on the undertaking from the airline that, they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations," it said.
IndiGo also has a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines and, speaking to NDTV last week, the airline's CEO Pieter Elbers had said it is compliant with regulations in India, but would make changes if required.
Pointing out that out of the over 400 aircraft in IndiGo's fleet, only two are on lease from Turkish Airlines, the CEO had said, "Our viewpoint is we operate within the guidance of whatever is in the service agreements, compliant with the government's regulations. If they change, we'll adjust accordingly to make sure that we are compliant. And, for now, we continue to serve our customers... if the government were to change its set of rules, of course, we will comply with that.
"But if (there is) any pressure we feel, it is the need to make sure that we fulfil the obligations we have to all the customers who put their trust in us, who made their booking with us, who have their travel plans with us," he had added.
On May 15, the Centre had revoked the security clearance for Celebi Aviation and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol had said, "Turkey had openly supported Pakistan. In view of the current situation, this has become an issue of national security. Keeping security in mind, Celebi has been banned in the country".
The company had challenged the move in at least two high courts and the Delhi High Court had later said, "The rule is better safe than sorry."
Turkey's Support
During and after the end of the initial phase of Operation Sindoor, which was India's response to the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed, Turkey expressed steadfast support for Pakistan and condemned New Delhi's "provocative steps".
Turkish drones were also extensively used by Pakistan in its counter-attack after India struck key terror bases in the country, including the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur. India's air defence systems managed to neutralise the bulk of the drones and missiles launched by Pakistan over the course of three days, until Islamabad sought a cessation of hostilities.
