PM Modi to ask Tajikistan for lease of ex-Soviet airbase

[SR-91]

A Google Earth image of Ayni air force base, currently used by the Tajik and Russian air forces.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to ask Tajikistan for the lease of a former Soviet airbase that was refurbished by India in 2007.

Government sources told Mail Today that use of the Ayni airbase for the Indian Air Force, tops the agenda for discussion with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon when the prime minister arrives on a state visit on July 12.

Tajikistan marks the last leg of Prime Minister Modi's eight-day tour of the five Central Asian Republics and Russia. The Ayni airbase near Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe has long been key to expanding India's strategic footprint in Central Asia. India refurbished the base in 2007 but could not base fighters and helicopters there because of Russian pressure.



"Getting a foreign airbase, particularly in Central Asia is a significant development. But in this case, two other countries, Tajikistan and Russia, have to agree," former Air Chief Marshal PV Naik told Mail Today.

The origins of the airbase lie in the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 to Kandahar. The Vajpayee government began talks for the lease of an airbase after it discovered it had no proximate access to Afghanistan. Tajikistan shares a 1,400-km land border with Afghanistan. In the mid- 1990s India set up a field hospital at another Tajik airbase in Farkhor, over 100 km south-east of the capital Dushanbe, from where it supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud.

In 2002, India and Tajikistan signed a bilateral defence agreement, one component of which was the repair of a disused Soviet airbase, Ayni, 10 km west of Dushanbe. The IAF planned to base a squadron of Mi-17 transport helicopters there and also train Tajik Air Force pilots. The Border Roads Organisation spent $70 million (Rs 443 crore) to refurbish the airbase in 2007, lengthening its runway to 3.2 kilometres, and building hangars and an air traffic control tower. Resistance, however, came from an unexpected quarter: Russia, which considers Tajikistan within its sphere of influence. In 2007, Russia pressurised the Tajik government to deny India access to the airbase, and the plans went into cold storage.

The use of the Ayni airbase received fresh impetus from the Modi government. Last September, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj visited Tajikistan during the 14th SCO summit and held talks with the Tajik President. One of the items on the agenda, besides cooperation on counterterrorism, was the use of the Ayni airbase.

Indian government officials say leasing the base could be problematic. Besides Russia, concerns could also be raised by Pakistan and China. The airbase is just a half-hour flying time away from the Tajik-China border. Tajikistan has no land boundary with Pakistan, the two countries are separated by Afghanistan's narrow Wakhan Corridor, but the prospect of an Indian airbase in its rear has raised alarm in Pakistan. In recent years, Pakistan has worked hard to dissuade Tajikistan from the airbase lease. In 2012, Pakistan offered to reactivate two other disused airbases and offered free training for the Tajikistan Air Force.


PM Modi to ask Tajikistan for lease of ex-Soviet airbase : Mail Today, News - India Today

 

[TimeTraveller]

Do we really need that Airbase?......i don't think it will be good for India to go against Russia's will.... India should not do this.............

 

[Rockets]

Do we really need that Airbase?......i don't think it will be good for India to go against Russia's will.... India should not do this.............

Do you really thinks he fears Russia or any other country.

 

[Donatello]

Don't have enough aircraft to man the Indian airbases.....and they want Central Asia....WTH are you going to keep there? Cattle farming?

 

[Rockets]

Don't have enough aircraft to man the Indian airbases.....and they want Central Asia....WTH are you going to keep there? Cattle farming?

Now why are you concerned so much are you worried about our bases or what?

 

[New World]

by the way why now India wants this airbase when Afghan issue is going to be solved??
what did want to do India with this base??
its pretty much hard to maintain jets away from home..

 

[coffee_cup]

Dehati Aurat who shows her "concern / fear / unhappiness / alarm" on such small things as China helping Sri Lanka for a high rise building, wants to lease a military airbase near the borders of China and Pakistan.

And tells us that we need not worry. Of course this is a cause of concern, we can not allow yet another Indian terrorist training center near our borders.

I hope Russia, China and Pakistan work together against this hostile lease.

 

[TimeTraveller]

Do you really thinks he fears Russia or any other country.

Yes...I believe it.....There are reasons for Russia and Tajikistan to not allow IAF the base access to Ayni Airbase....No country will ever desire to withstand the impact of stationing another countries planes under its influential regions.....Russia has more right to think about and manage Ayni Airbase than it is to India....



Ayni air base – Tajikstan:



Background:

India's initiative to refurbish Ayni followed the earlier establishment of its first military "outpost" in Tajikistan at Farkhor on the Tajik-Afghan border.

The 'quietly functional' Farkhor base was an extension of the field hospital India established in the late 1990's as part of its role in helping Afghanistan's Northern Alliance in the fight against the Taliban regime.

The Indian presence at Ayni base was first conceived in 2002, after the signing of a bilateral agreement between India and Tajikstan formalized India’s presence at Farkhor, giving India an opportunity to substantively raise its military profile in the region .

Official sources said India's role in refurbishing Ayni airbase included restoring its long disused runway, an aircraft taxiing track, building a parking apron, three aircraft hangars, and an air-control tower and accommodation for a "sizeable" Indian military contingent and perimeter fencing.

This was done under a three-way agreement among India, Tajikistan and Russia.Under the informal 'arrangement', India, Tajikistan and Russia were to operate the air base by rotation. It was anticipated that the resident Indian military contingent of army and IAF personnel would work closely with the Russians, who have a motorised division in Tajikistan, for logistical support.

India's refurbishment of the Ayni military base, 15 km from Dushanbe, for around $1.77 million was completed earlier this year nearly 24 months behind schedule under the 2002 bilateral defense agreement with Tajikistan.

Thereafter, the defense ministry has been awaiting direction from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to officially begin operating from there. The ministry had reportedly asked the CCS for a "formal mandate" on force levels before the Indian Air Force (IAF) transferred some of its assets to Ayni as part of India's move to augment its "strategic reach" in a troubled area and to secure its galloping energy needs from the resource rich Central Asian Region (CAR).

Initial Indian objectives:

• Immediate plan was to deploy a squadron Mi-17 choppers and some Kiran trainer aircraft (to train Tajik pilots)
• Later, MiG-29s fighters could be stationed there
• The base would help New Delhi to keep tabs on its energy interests in central Asia
• It would also allow close watch on anti-India activities on Pak-Afghan border
• In situations like Kandahar hijack, special forces could be moved in quickly when national interests are threatened

Ayni’s use is limited by the fact that India has no direct access to Tajikistan with part of Kashmir and Northern Areas being controlled by Pakistan.



Latest developments:

However, there is the likely possibility that India will be evicted from its sole, albeit fledgling, overseas military facility at Ayni air base near Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe under pressure from Russia, which is concerned over New Delhi's growing ties with Washington.

Senior military officials said the emerging possibility of India looking to Washington and other Western suppliers for military hardware was responsible for Russia "leveraging" its considerable influence with Tajikistan to try and terminate New Delhi's "loose arrangement" regarding Ayni if it declined to be "co-operative".

Moscow is understandably anxious and wary of competition from other suppliers, particularly the US, in support of IAF's latest requirement of 126 multi-role combat aircraft.

Alongside, India is deadlocked in delicate discussions with Russia wanting to renegotiate its $85-billion Sukhoi 30MkI multi-role fighter deal by demanding a higher price for the timely delivery of the combat aircraft with the agreed specifications.

In July (2007), reportedly at the behest of a seemingly 'displeased' Moscow, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrahon Zaripov declared that Dushanbe was not negotiating with New Delhi about permitting India a military base at Ayni.

India, he admitted, had helped rehabilitate the Ayni airfield, but this did not provide for its being granted basing facilities.

Thereafter, there has been no formal communication to New Delhi from Tajikistan to withdraw from Ayni some 150 Indian military engineers, workers and defence personnel that comprise the base's maintenance squad as well as its training team engaged in instructing the Tajik air force.

Consequently, a rash of nervous senior Indian security and military officials have visited Russia to not only try and assuage Moscow's concerns over arms purchases but also to solicit its influence in helping to maintain India's military presence at Ayni, official sources said. The sources declined to be named given the classified and sensitive nature of the negotiations.

National Security Advisor M K Narayanan's August 2007 visit to Moscow was followed by that of Indian Army Chief JJ Singh as part of a tri-service delegation that returned home Sep 18. Singh's trip was ostensibly to observe joint anti-terrorist manoeuvres between the Indian and Russian Special Forces in the Pskov region south of St Petersburg.

Lt Gen Z U Shah, the Indian Army's deputy chief (planning and systems) responsible for material acquisitions, flew to Moscow last week for "consultations", reportedly to allay Russian apprehensions over India evaluating alternate weapon suppliers.

India's continued military presence at Ayni was also believed to be on Gen Shah's agenda.

Defence Minister A K Antony travels to Russia in October ahead of a summit meeting in Moscow between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Vladimir Putin at which Russian military contracts beset by delays and cost escalation and the prickly Ayni issue are likely to be discussed. Thereafter, Putin is expected to visit India by the year-end.

Information drawn from:
12 August 2006

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HH12Df01.html

17 July 2007

Indian forces get foothold in Central Asia - The Times of India

20 Sept 2007

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14530365


Source: Wikileaks.org

 

[[Bregs]]

All cis states including Tajikistan do not take these decisions without the consent of Russia, tacit approval of Russia is there for this air base when India renovated it in 2007 but to what extent IAF using is highly classified and only random news comes out like this every time but no credible information

 

[Rockets]

B

Dehati Aurat who shows her "concern / fear / unhappiness / alarm" on such small things as China helping Sri Lanka for a high rise building, wants to lease a military airbase near the borders of China and Pakistan.

And tells us that we need not worry. Of course this is a cause of concern, we can not allow yet another Indian terrorist training center near our borders.

I hope Russia, China and Pakistan work together against this hostile lease.

But Jihadi terrorist can't do a f***k kid. Don't worry we know how to play the game.So don't worry you are a child in front of us. So pakistan is our Dehati Aurat to which we are playing
Andf yes Russia will really support you just beg in front of them and lick their feet as you are famous for.

 

[coffee_cup]

B

But Jihadi terrorist can't do a f***k kid. Don't worry we know how to play the game.So don't worry you are a child in front of us. So pakistan is our Dehati Aurat to which we are playing
Andf yes Russia will really support you just beg in front of them and lick their feet as you are famous for.

Ok newbie, whatever,

 

[Spectre]

Dehati Aurat who shows her "concern / fear / unhappiness / alarm" on such small things as China helping Sri Lanka for a high rise building, wants to lease a military airbase near the borders of China and Pakistan.

And tells us that we need not worry. Of course this is a cause of concern, we can not allow yet another Indian terrorist training center near our borders.

I hope Russia, China and Pakistan work together against this hostile lease.

Good Luck with that! You think India will poke the Bear and get spanked in return? Either Russia is in on this or nothing will come out of it.

Maybe Modi is just trolling Pakistan, who knows. China can out bid India anytime anywhere if it thinks it's necessary so I don't think you ought to be concerned for China

 

[coffee_cup]

Good Luck with that! You think India will poke the Bear and get spanked in return? Either Russia is in on this or nothing will come out of it.

Maybe Modi is just trolling Pakistan, who knows. China can out bid India anytime anywhere if it thinks it's necessary so I don't think you ought to be concerned for China

It has worked so far and a concentrated combined effort by Pakistan and China (may be Russia) will make sure that it does not happen in the future as well.

At least not as long as India keeps supporting terrorist proxies against us.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Don't have enough aircraft to man the Indian airbases.....and they want Central Asia....WTH are you going to keep there? Cattle farming?

Yes, we will export cattle from Tajikistan to Bangladesh.

 

[Spectre]

It has worked so far and a concentrated combined effort by Pakistan and China (may be Russia) will make sure that it does not happen in the future as well.

At least not as long as India keeps supporting terrorist proxies against us.

What has worked?

If Russia wants India will get the base if it does not want India will not get it. Pretty simple my friend.

You can't do anything about it. China yes sure can by influencing Russia