India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a stern warning to Turkish Airlines following a series of surprise inspections that uncovered multiple serious safety and regulatory lapses across its Indian operations. The inspections, conducted between May 29 and June 2, 2025, covered both passenger and cargo flights at major airports including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

These "ramp and safety oversight inspections" have brought Turkish Airlines under increased scrutiny, particularly as they occur at a time when Turkish companies operating in India are reportedly under the scanner. This heightened observation is linked to Turkiye's geopolitical stance, specifically its support for Pakistan during recent regional conflicts.

Among the most critical violations discovered was the transportation of hazardous materials, specifically explosives, on a cargo flight without the requisite permissions from the DGCA or proper documentation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation highlighted this breach, stating that "The cargo contained dangerous goods for which permission is required from DGCA for carriage of explosives to/from or over India. This was not found to be attached nor was it mentioned in the dangerous goods declaration."

Further significant lapses were identified in ground operations. In Bengaluru, a marshaller responsible for directing aircraft during taxiing was found to be operating without proper authorisation or a valid competency card, both mandatory under Indian aviation regulations. Additionally, during the arrival of one aircraft in Bengaluru, arrival procedures were carried out by a technician rather than a certified maintenance engineer, raising concerns about adherence to safety protocols.

Issues related to ground handling services were also prevalent. In Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the airline's ground handling agent, Globe Ground India, was found to be operating without a formal service level agreement with Turkish Airlines. Furthermore, there was a lack of proper accountability and monitoring for essential ground equipment such as ladders, trolleys, and ground power units. The situation was compounded by the absence of formal handovers from the previous ground handler, Celebi, whose security clearance was revoked by the Indian government in May.

In response to these findings, the DGCA has directed Turkish Airlines to promptly address all identified violations and ensure full compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards as well as domestic regulations. The regulator has also stated that it will continue to keep Turkish Airlines’ India operations under close watch and will carry out further inspections "as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight."

These regulatory actions coincide with other developments involving Turkish aviation entities in India. Recently, the DGCA approved a three-month extension for IndiGo's wet lease agreement with Turkish Airlines for two Boeing 777 aircraft operating on Delhi-Istanbul and Mumbai-Istanbul routes. This extension was granted after IndiGo submitted an undertaking to terminate the lease within this extended period. As of the latest reports, Turkish Airlines has not issued a public statement regarding the DGCA's findings.