File photo of Indian and Tajikistani air assets seen at the Ayni Airbase near Dushanbe

India has completed its withdrawal from the Ayni Airbase near Dushanbe, Tajikistan, marking the end of a notable phase in its Central Asian engagement. The drawdown followed the expiry of a bilateral agreement on Indian presence in 2022, as both political and operational conditions that justified the base’s use ceased to exist.

The GMA (Gissar Military Aerodrome), popularly known as the Ayni airbase named after village Ayni, is just west of the Tajik capital Dushanbe. It has been administered by India along with Tajikistan for nearly two decades.

India was operating the air base along with Tajikistan on a lease period. In 2021, Tajikistan had informed India that the lease would not be extended and hence, New Delhi would have to withdraw men and equipment deployed there. Sources said that the withdrawal had been completed in 2022 itself, but had remained under wraps so far.

Tajikistan reportedly chose not to renew the lease due to pressure from Russia and China regarding the presence of non-regional military personnel at the air base.

The Ayni facility, which once hosted Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters, maintenance equipment and technical units, served primarily as a logistics and support base. At one time, a couple of Su-30 MKIs were stationed there briefly. It played a crucial role during the years when the Northern Alliance fought the Taliban in Afghanistan, enabling India to sustain medical and operational assistance from the Tajik side of the border.

Following the Taliban’s full takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the Northern Alliance disbanded and with it the strategic purpose of Ayni diminished. As a result, the operational agreement was not renewed, and Indian personnel began a phased withdrawal. By early 2023, all military assets, support infrastructure, and personnel had been fully relocated.

Officials familiar with the matter confirmed that while the Ayni base was never used for direct combat operations, it functioned as a key logistical hub for cooperation with the Tajik military. The deployment of Mi-17 helicopters provided both humanitarian and tactical support roles, including assistance to local security forces.

This closure follows India’s earlier withdrawal from its Farkhor base, established in 1998 and active until around 2008. Farkhor had hosted an airstrip, helicopter repair and armament depots, and a field hospital treating Northern Alliance fighters. The shift from Farkhor to Ayni signified India’s continued strategic interest in Central Asia, aimed at maintaining regional access and counter-terror cooperation.

Although Indian forces have ceased operations from Ayni, New Delhi retains diplomatic and strategic engagement with Tajikistan. Defence cooperation, training programmes, and multi-domain exchanges between the two nations continue under other frameworks, sustaining India’s overall presence and influence in the Central Asian region.

Agencies