Adani Airports has stopped handling certain Russian-related cargoes at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The airport operator has stated that the reason behind this is compliance with regulations related to restrictions. This decision has led to a dispute between the local representatives of Russian Airlines and the airport management. The dispute was over the baggage that had reached the airport. Delmos Aviation, the agency representing major Russian airlines Aeroflot and Volga-Dnepr in India, has strongly objected to the entire process.

Reference was made to American sanctions regulations

Dr. Naveen Rao, head of Delmos Aviation, has sent several letters and emails to the Mumbai Airport Authority. Dr. According to Rao, airport officials told him that the move was due to sanctions imposed on Russia by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The controversy is not limited to the existing airport in Mumbai. Delmos Aviation says Volga-Dnepr Airlines charter aircraft were set to operate at Navi Mumbai airport. The first slot was confirmed for this charter flight, but later canceled by the airport management. The sudden withdrawal of slots has affected the entire schedule of the airline.

Pressure increased after BlackRock’s massive investment

The Adani Group operates eight major airports in the country, including major hubs such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Adani Airports has not given any official response to the queries raised in this entire matter.

However, sources familiar with the development say the company recently raised $1 billion from investors through a share sale. These investors also include American funds, which are managed by large global companies such as BlackRock. According to experts, after the involvement of American investors, the company wants to avoid violating any American regulations or restrictions. For this reason, it was suddenly decided to stop handling cargo related to Russia.

Goods stopped for a week, losses are increasing

Due to this decision, the movement of goods at the airport has come to a complete standstill. According to an email sent by Delmos Aviation, around 2.5 tonnes of baggage has been lying in the airport warehouse for the past one week. The agency is seeking permission to bring an additional 12.5 tonnes of goods into the warehouse, so that a full truckload of 15 tonnes can be prepared and shipped.

Dr. Naveen Rao said that since the goods have been lying for a week, demurrage is being imposed on them continuously. This is adding unnecessary financial burden on the company. At the heart of the dispute is the legal question of whether US sanctions apply even if the goods are being transported by an Indian logistics company and neither the sender nor the recipient company is on any sanctions list.

Appeal to Ministry of Aviation, queries on other airlines

After things did not work out at the local level, Delmos Aviation has now written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking its intervention in the matter. This situation has arisen at a time when the Indian government is officially maintaining its trade relations with Russia. Several trade agreements were signed between the two countries during the BRICS summit held in New Delhi last month.

Dr. Naveen Rao, managing director of Delmos Aviation, has also raised serious questions on the fairness of the rules. He has asked what is the status of other international airlines such as Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines carrying Russia-related cargo from Mumbai. Dr. Rao has demanded that if these foreign airlines are allowed to carry Russian cargo, what are the criteria set for them. He has sought clarification as to whether these rules are being applied equally to all airlines and parties.