Tajikstan denies India any airbases

This is odd. At first there were claims that Mig-29's were going to be stationed in Tajikstan, then there were claims that no Migs but just Mi-17 helicopters. Now the Tajiks are rejecting any airbase at all in Tajikstan!

Tajikistan Rejects Indian Bid To Use Base
By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI, NEW DELHI


Dushanbe has rejected New Delhi’s proposal to build a military base at a Tajik military airport being refurbished with Indian aid, confounding Indian defense officials who believed the Tajik government would permit the move.
In 2002, India and Russia agreed to rebuild the airport, located in Ayni in the Hissar district, and used by Russian forces in the 1980s. About 150 Indian engineers and workers are employed in the rebuilding, said a Tajik diplomat based here.
New Delhi had hoped the base would become a foothold in central Asia, and an asset in case of war with Pakistan, an Indian Defence Ministry official said.
India had also supplied aid to anti-Taliban fighters in Afghanis-tan through Tajikistan.
Rumors of a future Indian presence had been reported since 2003, and the Tajik government never denied the stories. That changed July 18, when Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi said in a news conference that Tajikistan and India had not been negotiating the opening of an Indian military base.
“India has helped us rehabilitate the Ayni airfield, but this does not provide for opening of the military base here,” Zarifi said.

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Tajikistan: India Not Using Airbase

A report that the Indian military intends to deploy MI-17 helicopters, Kiran training aircraft and MiG-29 fighters to the Aini airport outside Dushanbe, Tajikistan, is false, Russia's Regnum news agency reported July 18, citing unnamed Tajik Defense Ministry sources. The sources did not confirm reports that India has already asked the Tajik Security Council for permission to airlift military equipment to Aini. The move would have made Aini India's first military base abroad.




Tajikistan denies holding air base talks with India
Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Khamrokhon Zarifi said Wednesday that his country has not signed any pact or held any negotiations with India on the deployment of the Indian air force base in Tajikistan.

The Times of India reported earlier that the Indian Defense Ministry planned to deploy Mi-17 helicopters and training aircraft at the Aini airfield in Tajikistan and turn the site into an Indian air force base.

This is a sign of a new toughening of the SCO in its line against what is now being openly described as "encroachment" by NATO and its allies into Central Asia. It is also a taste for India of what it can now expect, now it is actively forging a "new Strategic relationship" with the USA.

When the arrangement with India was first mooted, India was looking likely to join the SCO and the Tajikistan base was a symbol of that movement. Now India has jumped ship and the door has slammed fast in its face.

Not just India but also NATO was looking to acquire a new base in Tajikistan and that too has now been discontinued.

In contrast however, the following was reported in the Asia Times online on the 4th August:

on July 17, Tajikistan announced that an agreement had been concluded providing for the deployment of Russian combat aircraft on the Ayni Air Base outside Dushanbe. Indications are that in the first instance Russia will deploy Su-25 jets and Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters. The Russian deployment will be within the CSTO framework. Moscow just about stumped the United States' last lingering hope of gaining a toehold in Tajikistan.

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crazyinsane105 said:

This is odd. At first there were claims that Mig-29's were going to be stationed in Tajikstan, then there were claims that no Migs but just Mi-17 helicopters. Now the Tajiks are rejecting any airbase at all in Tajikstan!

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It could be that the request was rejected, or that there was no serious request in the first place. It rather depends who initially reported the Indian interest. An interest can be just that (an interest), or part of a more concerted push.

I don't know much about what India may have been hoping for, but I don't think this is much of a big deal for New Delhi - it already has a significant military advantage over Pakistan.

I don't think India was particularly concerned about Pakistan with this idea of a base in Central Asia.

This is a sign of a new toughening of the SCO in its line against what is now being openly described as "encroachment" by NATO and its allies into Central Asia. It is also a taste for India of what it can now expect, now it is actively forging a "new Strategic relationship" with the USA.

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I don't think this is the case. For one, it doesn't seem that they're rejecting it. Everything I've read has them saying there was no request. Other than the inference by the writer nothing that was actually said indicates they rejected anything, only denied.

For another, I don't see how the SCO or India's relationship with the U.S. could even matter. Russia has also signed a nuclear agreement and cooperates with us a lot. I certainly don't see how the SCO could be involved. Russia wants India in the SCO and I think China is the only one keeping them out.

Vlad Plasmius said:

Russia wants India in the SCO and I think China is the only one keeping them out.

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Indeed - good point, Vlad. Certainly I don't see the SCO behind this either because it's questionable that India ever was that set on having access to the base.

Right now the SCO is interested both in Pakistan and in India. Maybe that has something to do with all of this...

Why would India want to have a base in Tajikstan when they can have bases in their own country if all they wanted is to engage Pakistan? I think an Indian airbase in Tajikstan could also provide leverage against China with bypassing much of the Himalayas. In any case, an aircraft base is a very aggressive move, and would be an alarm to the SCO countries, thus leading to a denial of use.

I think India wanted a base there for 2 reasons. 1) so they could use it against Pakistan when push comes to shove and 2) use it as leverage to tap into Central Asian natural resources.

Asia Times saids India have been mixing arms with energy access.

flyzies said:

I think India wanted a base there for 2 reasons. 1) so they could use it against Pakistan when push comes to shove and 2) use it as leverage to tap into Central Asian natural resources.

Asia Times saids India have been mixing arms with energy access.

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"Mixing arms with energy access" is a logical move, but it can also be a source of insecurity. Protecting assets is important, but there is also the danger of provoking war. India with its large, growing population and expanding economy, no doubt requires a lot of energy, but this draining and competing for limited resources is a source for destabilization and conflicts. India should be more careful on where it treads.

FuManChu said:

I guess that means China's not-so-secret aircraft carrier project and investment in the Gwadar naval base (as well as reportedly gaining the right to use it) means that it's not a peaceful country nation in your book, right?

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you are comparing oranges with apples.indians didnt need aircraft carrier for pakistan did they now.
chinas not so secret aircraft carrier is far from being ready.while indians are already in the ocean with it and in process of aquiring couple more.