Centre Orders IndiGo to End Aircraft Lease Deal with Turkish Airlines in 3 Months

Centre Orders IndiGo to End Aircraft Lease Deal with Turkish Airlines in 3 Months

In a major development impacting international aviation ties, the Indian government has directed IndiGo Airlines to terminate its aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines within three months. This comes amid heightened scrutiny of Turkey-linked entities operating in India.

The directive follows closely on the heels of the government’s decision to revoke the security clearance of Celebi Aviation, a Turkish ground-handling company that was providing services at nine key Indian airports, including the country’s busiest — Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, has been operating two wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft leased from Turkish Airlines under a wet lease agreement. This arrangement had been granted government approval until May 31, 2025, and IndiGo had formally requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation for a six-month extension to continue the arrangement.

However, the ministry has denied the extension, making it clear that the airline must phase out the Turkish-leased aircraft within the stipulated three-month window.

While no official reason has been provided for the denial, aviation insiders believe the move aligns with India’s evolving security concerns and foreign policy recalibrations, especially in light of recent diplomatic tensions and the government’s firm stance on foreign-linked aviation service providers.

This decision is likely to affect IndiGo’s ambitious international expansion plans, especially on high-traffic routes such as Delhi-Istanbul, where the Boeing 777s had allowed the airline to offer a premium product with more capacity compared to its narrow-body Airbus A320 family fleet.

Industry experts are watching closely to see how IndiGo will adjust its fleet strategy and maintain its international connectivity following the government order. There’s also speculation about whether the carrier will explore wet lease agreements with other international partners or accelerate its own wide-body fleet plans.

Meanwhile, the government’s moves signal a tightening of regulatory oversight and security evaluations for all foreign-linked aviation agreements, a trend that could have wider implications for India’s aviation sector in the coming months.

Key Points:
✅ IndiGo ordered to end lease deal with Turkish Airlines within 3 months
✅ Comes after government revoked Celebi Aviation’s security clearance
✅ IndiGo had requested 6-month extension, but ministry denied it
✅ Affects IndiGo’s use of two Boeing 777 aircraft on international routes
✅ Aviation industry monitoring IndiGo’s next steps carefully

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