In recent weeks, India-Turkey relations have sharply deteriorated, triggering a significant diplomatic and commercial backlash. The trigger? Ankara’s visible support to Pakistan amid a renewed spell of military tensions with India.
This support has included the reported supply of drones to Islamabad and active participation in anti-India narratives. As this controversy unfolds, a Turkish aviation company operating in India has found itself under scrutiny — with allegations pointing towards possible links between Turkey’s First Family and key defence and aviation players involved in the tensions.
Let’s break down what’s really going on.
India Revokes Celebi Aviation India’s Security Clearance
On May 15, India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) announced the revocation of the security clearance granted to Çelebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd — the Indian arm of Turkey-headquartered Çelebi Aviation Holding.
The order stated that the move was made in the interest of “national security.” The Ministry of Civil Aviation backed the decision, stressing that while national interest is non-negotiable, steps have been taken to ensure passenger and cargo operations remain uninterrupted across the country’s airports. Staff transitions are also being coordinated to avoid disruption.
Çelebi has been handling ground services at major Indian airports — including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, and others — for the last 15 years. It claims to operate around 58,000 flights and 5.4 lakh tonnes of cargo annually while employing over 10,000 Indians and investing more than $220 million in Indian airport infrastructure.
The timing of the revocation coincided with a social media storm, where many users alleged that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s younger daughter, Sumeyye Erdogan Bayraktar, holds a stake in Çelebi’s parent company. Some of these claims pegged her shareholding at 10 per cent.
Is Erdogan’s Daughter Linked to Çelebi Aviation?
Following the security clearance revocation, Çelebi Aviation India issued a formal denial of the alleged ownership links between Sumeyye Erdogan Bayraktar and its parent company.
The company described itself as a professionally governed entity with global operations. According to its statement, 65 per cent of the company is owned by institutional investors from countries like the United States, Canada, the UAE, Singapore, and several European nations.
Furthermore, it clarified that only two members of the founding Çelebioğlu family — Can Çelebioglu and Canan Çelebioglu — hold Turkish ownership, each with a 17.5 per cent stake. The company stated that these individuals have no political affiliations or connections to President Erdogan’s family.
Turkish Drones in Pakistan’s Arsenal: Erdogan’s Son-in-Law in Focus
While Çelebi Aviation has denied any political connections, the drone angle in the India-Pakistan conflict tells a different story — one where the link to Erdogan’s inner circle is more direct.
On May 12, Indian Air Force officials confirmed that Pakistani forces used Turkish-origin drones during recent cross-border hostilities. The drones reportedly included the Byker Yiha III Kamikaze drones, the Songar armed drone system, and potentially even the Bayraktar TB2 drone — a model that has made headlines in several global conflict zones for its precision strikes.
Here is where the Erdogan connection gets more explicit.
The Bayraktar TB2 drones are manufactured by Turkish defence firm Baykar. The chairman of Baykar is Selcuk Bayraktar — Erdogan’s son-in-law and husband of his daughter, Sumeyye. The couple married in 2016 in a high-profile ceremony attended by political dignitaries.
Selcuk, who studied drone technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is also the Chief Technology Officer of Baykar. Under his leadership, Baykar has become a prominent name in global defence exports, particularly in the area of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
According to accounts, Baykar’s founder (Selcuk’s father) began working on UAV development alongside his son in the early 2000s, leading to the emergence of Turkey as a major drone exporter. The Bayraktar TB2 in particular has been deployed in military operations across several countries.
The developments surrounding Çelebi Aviation and Turkish drones being used by Pakistan have deepened India’s mistrust of Ankara. Indian citizens have responded with widespread calls to boycott travel to Turkey, while Indian businesses and educational institutions are re-evaluating ties with their Turkish counterparts.
While Çelebi Aviation has strongly denied any link to President Erdogan’s family, the simultaneous emergence of Baykar drones in Pakistan’s arsenal — led by Erdogan’s son-in-law — raises uncomfortable questions about Ankara’s role in the India-Pakistan conflict.
As tensions persist, India is likely to further scrutinise foreign companies with perceived political affiliations — particularly those connected to countries taking sides in regional disputes.
