India withdraws from Tajikistan's Ayni airbase: Why it matters for the country's strategic reach

India has quietly withdrawn from its only full-fledged overseas airbase — the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan — ending two decades of strategic military presence in central Asia.

The move, which reportedly began in 2022, came to light last month and has raised questions about India's long-term regional influence and security posture, reports The Indian Express.

What was the Ayni airbase?

Located near Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital, the Ayni airbase was built during the Soviet era and fell into disrepair after the USSR's collapse. India took charge of its renovation under a 2002 bilateral agreement, investing around $80 million to modernise the base.

India's Border Roads Organisation rebuilt the 3,200-metre runway, constructed hangars and fuel depots, and installed an air traffic control system, making the facility suitable for both combat jets and heavy transport aircraft.

Situated about 20 km from Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor — a narrow strip of land bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and China's Xinjiang province — the airbase gave India rare strategic access to a geopolitically sensitive region.

At its operational peak, around 200 Indian military personnel, including Air Force officers and ground staff, were stationed at Ayni, along with a small number of Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets.

Why did India withdraw?

According to official statements, India's presence at Ayni was part of a limited bilateral arrangement with Tajikistan for the "rehabilitation and development" of aerodromes. The agreement expired in 2022, after which India formally handed the facility back to the Tajik government.

However, diplomatic sources suggest that Dushanbe was under growing pressure from Russia and China — both major players in central Asia — not to renew India's lease. As a result, India gradually pulled out its personnel and equipment, keeping the process low-profile.

Strategic implications for India

The Ayni airbase was India's only operational overseas military facility, giving it both a symbolic and strategic edge in central Asia. Its proximity to Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor offered New Delhi valuable leverage — especially in monitoring developments involving China and Pakistan.

Analysts say the withdrawal represents a loss of strategic depth for India, as it limits the country's ability to project military and intelligence influence in a region where China and Russia are increasingly assertive.

Foreign policy observers also note that Ayni's closure underscores India's limited success in maintaining a sustained military footprint beyond its immediate neighbourhood.

Does India have any other overseas military bases?

India currently does not have a functional overseas military base in any other country.

In 2024, India and Mauritius jointly inaugurated an upgraded airstrip and jetty on Agaléga — a small group of islands in the western Indian Ocean. These facilities are key strategic projects that enhance India's maritime reach and surveillance over the waters off Africa's east coast, an area where China is also expanding its naval presence.

The new airstrip on North Agaléga Island now allows the Indian Navy to operate larger P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, in addition to Dornier aircraft that were already in use.

India also maintains a military training team in Bhutan, responsible for training personnel of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) and the Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan (RBG).

In the past, India temporarily operated bases in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka during the 1971 India-Pakistan War and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) mission, respectively.

By contrast, China maintains a permanent overseas military base in Djibouti and is reportedly constructing another in Tajikistan, though Beijing has not officially confirmed it. Meanwhile, the United States operates over a hundred overseas military bases around the world, including Camp Humphreys in South Korea (the largest), Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and multiple facilities in Germany and Japan.