India Withdraws from Ayni Airbase | 30 Oct 2025

Source: ET

India has officially concluded its presence at Tajikistan's Ayni Airbase , ending a strategic chapter in Central Asia. 

• The collaboration, initiated four years ago to revitalize the Soviet-era base, saw its end after a bilateral agreement on stationing Indian personnel at the location ended in 2022.
• The base's strategic utility expired after the collapse of India's ally, the Northern Alliance, in Afghanistan and Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Ayni Airbase

• Location & Strategic Value: Ayni Airbase is located about 10 km west of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital. 
  • In 1998, India set up its first base in Tajikistan at Farkhor, equipped with helicopters, a repair unit, and a military hospital that treated Afghan Northern Alliance fighters. 
  • However, the Farkhor base was shut down around 2008, and the Ayni base was established.
  • Ayni was India's 2nd overseas base after the Farkhor base (1998–2008).
  • Its proximity (around 20 km) to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor gave India strategic leverage over Pakistan and access to Central Asia.
• Operational Purpose: It was built to support the Northern Alliance against the Taliban through logistics, aerial support, and intelligence, complemented by India’s Farkhor Military Hospital.
  • It was never used for combat missions, with no permanent presence of fighter aircraft. India had stationed Mi17 helicopters there that also assisted Tajikistan forces.
• Evacuation (2021): During the Taliban’s 2021 return, India used the Ayni Airbase to evacuate nationals and officials from Afghanistan via military and civilian aircraft.