Air India has urged the Indian government to block the continuation of a leasing arrangement between rival carrier IndiGo and Turkish Airlines, citing both commercial disadvantages and geopolitical concerns.
This agreement, which has been operational since 2023, allows Turkish Airlines to lease aircraft and crew to IndiGo, enabling the latter to offer expanded international service to Istanbul and beyond. The model, known as a wet lease, is subject to approval by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) every six months. While such arrangements are common in aviation to address fleet shortages or test new markets, Air India sees this particular deal as giving an unfair advantage to IndiGo by allowing it to quickly expand long-haul capacity without investing in widebody aircraft or infrastructure.
More critically, Air India’s objections are also rooted in geopolitical sensitivities. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been vocal in supporting Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir and has made repeated statements seen as hostile to India’s territorial claims. As a result, Air India argues that the partnership indirectly strengthens a country that has been politically antagonistic towards India. The airline claims that the deal boosts Turkish tourism and economic interests while undermining the competitive position of Indian carriers that must comply with stricter bilateral aviation norms. In lobbying the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India is also leveraging growing public calls in India to “boycott Turkey” over its alignment with Pakistan, suggesting the continuation of this lease is not only commercially lopsided but also politically tone-deaf.