India has ended its two-decade presence at the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan. The quiet withdrawal, initiated in 2022, signifies a move that reduces India’s military footprint in Central Asia.

About Ayni Airbase

• Location: Ayani airbase, located near Dushanbe in Tajikistan, lies about 20 km from Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, bordering PoK and China’s Xinjiang province.
• Background: Originally built during the Soviet era, the base fell into disrepair after the USSR’s collapse.

India and Ayni Airbase

• Significance: Ayni was India’s only full-fledged overseas base, and its location offered India a military foothold in central Asia and leverage over Pakistan.
• India’s Investments: Under a 2002 bilateral agreement, India invested about $80 million to upgrade Tajikistan’s air base, building a 3,200-metre runway, hangars, fuel depots, and an air traffic control facility, executed mainly by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Operational Use: India deployed around 200 Army and IAF personnel with Sukhoi-30 MKI jets, using the base to support the Northern Alliance against the Taliban and for Kabul evacuation operations in 2021.

Reasons for India’s Withdrawal

• Conclusion of Bilateral Agreement: India clarified that the base was handed over to Tajik authorities in 2022 after the bilateral arrangement ended, emphasizing that the pact was for rehabilitation and infrastructure development, not long-term military control.
• External Pressures: Tajikistan reportedly hesitated to renew the lease due to pressure from Russia and China, both wary of India’s sustained presence. 

Strategic Implications for India

• Loss of Regional Foothold: The closure marks a setback to India’s Central Asia outreach, diminishing its strategic depth near Afghanistan, PoK, and Xinjiang. 
  • The Ayni base had been a crucial vantage point for security and intelligence in a region where India lacks direct access.
• Impact on Geopolitical Balance: The Wakhan Corridor’s proximity made Ayni crucial amid China–Pakistan cooperation in the area.
• Counterbalancing Power: Its loss diminishes India’s ability to project power or counterbalance regional dynamics dominated by Russia, China, and Pakistan.

India’s Other Overseas Military Presence

• Agalega Islands, Mauritius: In 2024, India and Mauritius inaugurated an airstrip and jetty on North Agaléga Island, boosting Indian Ocean surveillance and enabling operations of P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
• Military Training in Bhutan: India maintains a military training team in Bhutan, training the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) and Royal Bodyguard (RBG) personnel.
• Historical Deployments: India operated from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka during the 1971 war and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) mission, respectively. However, these were temporary operations, not permanent bases.

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Comparative Perspective

• China: China maintains an official base in Djibouti and is reportedly developing one in Tajikistan, though unacknowledged officially.
• United States: The United States operates over 100 overseas bases worldwide, including Camp Humphreys in South Korea (the largest overseas base) and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and multiple installations in Germany and Japan.

Conclusion

The Ayni withdrawal underscores India’s need to build new defence partnerships and access agreements in Central Asia, while deepening economic, cultural, and connectivity ties to sustain its strategic and soft power presence.

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