Civil aviation authorities have directed Turkish Airlines to ensure "full compliance" with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and DGCA regulations, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The directives come following a safety oversight and ramp (SOFA/RAMP) inspection of the Turkish Airlines' passenger and cargo flights in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to the statement issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The inspection was conducted from May 29 to June 2, in accordance with Article 16 of the Convention on ICAO International Civil Aviation, it stated, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring compliance with both international and national safety regulations.

"Turkish Airlines has been directed to address these findings promptly and ensure full compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as DGCA regulations," the release said.

Strained Diplomatic Ties Add to Aviation Scrutiny

Turkiye had taken Pakistan's side during Operation Sindoor, which came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians, most of them tourists, were killed.

Subsequently, the Centre revoked security clearance for a Turkish firm -- "Celebi Aviation" -- that took care of operations at nine key Indian airports, including Delhi, citing national security concerns.

Last month, the government asked IndiGo to end its aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines within three months, sending out a big message to the Turkiye government.

Safety and Procedural Lapses Found at Multiple Airports

During the inspection, it was found that the marshaller handling ground operations at Bengaluru airport "lacked authorisation and a valid competency card for marshalling functions", according to the statement.

Moreover, during the arrival of the aircraft, the aircraft maintenance engineer was unavailable, and the arrival procedure was carried out by a technician instead, the release said, adding that Airworks is the authorised engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines.

It noted that the cargo contained dangerous goods, for which permission is required from the DGCA for carrying explosives to/from/over India. However, no such permission was found attached, nor it was mentioned in the Dangerous Goods Declaration, as per the statement.

The inspection, as per the release, also revealed that no Service Level Agreement (SLA) was in place between Turkish Airlines and its Ground Handling Agent (GHA).

"Equipment such as ladders, step ladders, trolleys, and ground power units lacked proper accountability and monitoring at Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where Globe Ground India was providing ground services without formal handover from Celebi," the release stated.

Stating that the DGCA emphasises its "unwavering commitment" to ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of all foreign operators within Indian airspace, the release said, "further follow-up inspections will be conducted as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight".