AgenciesIn the wake of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has alleged a potential foreign conspiracy, raising concerns over foreign involvement in India's aviation sector.
Speaking to reporters, Ramdev raised suspicion that a Turkish agency was responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the ill-fated aircraft. He hinted that the crash may not have been purely accidental.
“I got to know that an agency from Turkiye used to take care of the maintenance and service of the aircraft,” he said.
“India will have to keep a close eye on the aviation sector. There is a possibility of a conspiracy by that agency. India must stop the interference of foreign companies in such sensitive matters.”
While Ramdev did not provide evidence to support his claims, his remarks come amid growing scrutiny over aviation safety and maintenance protocols following the incident.
The decision came after Central government revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns.
"Following the Government of India's decision to revoke Celebi's security clearance, we have terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Celebi at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA). Accordingly, Celebi has been directed to immediately hand over to us all ground handling facilities to ensure uninterrupted operations," Spokespersons, Mumbai & Ahmedabad Airports said in a statement.
Earlier, news agency PTI also reported that Air India planning to scale back the number of wide-body aircraft it sends to Turkish Technic for heavy maintenance, in light of recent geopolitical developments involving Turkiye’s support for Pakistan and condemnation of India's strikes on terror camps.
CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline is sensitive to national sentiment and will recalibrate its maintenance strategy accordingly. While some aircraft will still be sent overseas for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) due to capacity constraints in India, Air India will increasingly divert business to other regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the US.
Search and recovery teams continued scouring the site of one of India’s worst aviation disasters for a third day after the Air India flight fell from the sky and more than 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said Saturday.
The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 33 on the ground. One passenger survived.
Speaking to reporters, Ramdev raised suspicion that a Turkish agency was responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the ill-fated aircraft. He hinted that the crash may not have been purely accidental.
“I got to know that an agency from Turkiye used to take care of the maintenance and service of the aircraft,” he said.
“India will have to keep a close eye on the aviation sector. There is a possibility of a conspiracy by that agency. India must stop the interference of foreign companies in such sensitive matters.”
While Ramdev did not provide evidence to support his claims, his remarks come amid growing scrutiny over aviation safety and maintenance protocols following the incident.
Adani Airport Holdings had terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Turkish firm Celebi for the Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports.
The decision came after Central government revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns.
"Following the Government of India's decision to revoke Celebi's security clearance, we have terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Celebi at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA). Accordingly, Celebi has been directed to immediately hand over to us all ground handling facilities to ensure uninterrupted operations," Spokespersons, Mumbai & Ahmedabad Airports said in a statement.
Earlier, news agency PTI also reported that Air India planning to scale back the number of wide-body aircraft it sends to Turkish Technic for heavy maintenance, in light of recent geopolitical developments involving Turkiye’s support for Pakistan and condemnation of India's strikes on terror camps.
CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline is sensitive to national sentiment and will recalibrate its maintenance strategy accordingly. While some aircraft will still be sent overseas for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) due to capacity constraints in India, Air India will increasingly divert business to other regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the US.
Search and recovery teams continued scouring the site of one of India’s worst aviation disasters for a third day after the Air India flight fell from the sky and more than 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said Saturday.
The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 33 on the ground. One passenger survived.
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