Delhi’s Aviation Ultimatum to IndiGo: End Ties with Turkish Airlines Amid Ankara’s Support for Pakistan
New Delhi-Special Report: In a firm move against Turkey over its continued support for Pakistan, the Indian government has ordered low-cost carrier IndiGo to terminate its lease agreement for two Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airlines within three months.
Weezharoz-IndiGo, which was operating the jets under a lease set to expire on May 31, had requested a six-month extension.
However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation rejected the plea and granted a final, non-renewable grace period until August 31, 2025 for the airline to wind down the arrangement.
A ministry statement said, “A one-time final extension has been given to IndiGo, provided that the airline ends its leasing arrangement with Turkish Airlines by the stated deadline. No further extensions will be granted.”
Simultaneously, IndiGo’s codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines is also under review.
This action follows the revocation of the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling firm Çelebi Aviation by India on May 15, citing national security concerns.
Minister of Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, stated, “Turkey’s open support for Pakistan has made this a national security issue.
Therefore, Çelebi’s operations have been suspended.”
Analysts note that this decision is partly a response to Pakistan’s use of Turkish drones in retaliatory strikes following India’s cross-border operations.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has maintained that the airline fully complies with India’s aviation regulations and emphasized that the final decision on lease extensions rests with the government.
This development could have significant implications for India-Turkey bilateral ties and international air connectivity through Istanbul.
Weezharoz
