Overview
- MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India handed the Ayni facility to Tajikistan in 2022 following the conclusion of their agreement.
- Indian personnel and equipment were withdrawn by 2022, ending New Delhi’s operational presence at the base near Dushanbe.
- India led extensive upgrades over two decades, including a lengthened runway, hardened shelters, fuel depots and an air traffic control system, with reports estimating about $100 million in investment.
- The base supported earlier cooperation tied to the Afghan theatre, including temporary deployments such as Su-30MKI jets and evacuations of Indian nationals in 2021.
- Recent reports cite unnamed sources alleging pressure from Russia and China and suggest a subsequent Russian role at the facility, though these attributions have not been officially confirmed.