India withdraws from Tajikistan's Ayni airbase: How it impacts country
What's the story
India has officially withdrawn its military presence from the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan, its only full-fledged overseas base. The withdrawal process began in 2022 after the expiration of a bilateral agreement with Tajikistan for the rehabilitation and development of the aerodrome. According to the Indian Express, the Tajik government was hesitant to renew the airfield lease due to pressure from Russia and China.
Base significance
India's strategic foothold in Central Asia
The Ayni airbase, located near Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital, was a key military foothold for India in Central Asia. Originally built during the Soviet era, it had fallen into disrepair after the USSR's collapse. India renovated and upgraded the base under a 2002 bilateral agreement with Tajikistan, investing around $80 million in modernization efforts, including runway repairs and construction of hangars and fuel depots.
Military footprint
Ayni airbase's role in evacuating Indians from Afghanistan
The Ayni airbase was also used by India to evacuate its nationals after the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. At its peak, the base housed around 200 Indian military personnel and a few Sukhoi 30 MKI jets. After the agreement with the Tajik government expired, India began withdrawing staff and assets from the airbase in 2022. The withdrawal was carried out quietly and only came to light last month.
Geopolitical significance
Impact on India's strategic interests
The withdrawal is likely to affect India's strategic interests, especially given its proximity to the Wakhan corridor, located in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province. It borders China's Xinjiang region to the east, Tajikistan to the north, and POK to the south. This region is of geopolitical interest for security and trade purposes. In this regard, the base could have provided India with a strategic advantage, allowing it to target Peshawar from Tajikistan and forcing Pakistan to shift assets from its eastern borders.
Base status
India's overseas military bases
With the withdrawal from Ayni, India does not have a functional overseas military base in any other country. The only other instances of India operating bases outside its borders were during wartime or peacekeeping interventions. India and Mauritius inaugurated an airstrip on the Agalega Islands to expand India's reach in the Indian Ocean. China has an official overseas military base in Djibouti but has not officially acknowledged building one in Tajikistan.