INDIAN air-base in TAJIKISTHAN

India?s first ever overseas military base near Tajikistan?s capital Dushanbe is expected to be operational by the year-end as part of New Delhi?s thrust into the oil-rich Central Asian Region (CAR), official sources said.

Military sources said the Indian Air Force (IAF) is reportedly pressing the government for an early decision on the type of aircraft to be based for varying periods at Ayni airbase 15 km northwest of Dushanbe that has been refurbished by Indian Army engineers over the past year


www.deccanherald.com...

timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

hmmm...interesting..that area is already contested by lots of countries...India's going to have a tough time there...unless they can do a balancing act between the US and Russia..which they are doing quite admirably now btw...

Also whats strange is that there's no common border between India and Tajakistan... A bit risky IMHO.
Although the Northen region of Afghanistan(and the current government) is very friendly towards India. The Northern Alliance, before 9/11 received logistical support from Russia and India...
The Air base will serve many purposes, power projection into central asia and the middle east,pincer effect on Pakistan, and soemwhat of a pincer(not much though) on China.Any info on the strength of operations at the airbase?

Also any data on Chinese projections in this region in physical terms? Or any other part of the world for that matter? Except the naval base on Coco's Island (Bay of Bengal)I don't see the chinese expanding militarily anywhere else..
Though they're improving ties with Iran, and more recently Cuba thats only on a political level though...Bay of pigs dejavous??!!

[edit on 28-11-2004 by Daedalus3]