Is India's Tajikistan airbase a major threat in case of war?

[brahmastra]

Hello Friends, I would like to open this thread to discuss the vital importance of the farkhor airbase,tajikistan.

Farkhor Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[dbc]

"It stipulates the presence of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army to be permanently stationed there, and ward off any external threat to the country's security." -Farkhor Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds like a great deal for the Tajiks. They've effectively outsourced the defense of their nation to India at a great price of FREE. Maybe this is the next big outsourcing trend guns for hire - the pricing model needs a little work IMHO.

It remains to be seen if the Indians are willing to bleed in the defense of Tajikistan? Also, will Tajikistan allow India to use its soil to launch an attack on Pakistan and risk receiving a gift wrapped Babur with love from Gen Kiyani? I think the answer to both questions is a resounding HELL NO .

 

[wtf]

Sounds like a great deal for the Tajiks. They've effectively outsourced the defense of their nation to India at a great price of FREE. Maybe this is the next big outsourcing trend guns for hire - the pricing model needs a little work IMHO.

Next outsourcing model ? This is the oldest military trend ever. Even before European nations had standing armies, there were warrior chiefs who would pledge loyalty to kings or offer protection to them. The trend has continued through the ages. British "protectorates", American bases in Korea and Japan were/are all "outsourcing" of security.

Even today many African nations have arrangements like this to protect their heads of states from a coup threat. Death by chocolate, you are posting from France ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_territories

 

[PeacefulIndian]

"It stipulates the presence of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army to be permanently stationed there, and ward off any external threat to the country's security." -Farkhor Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds like a great deal for the Tajiks. They've effectively outsourced the defense of their nation to India at a great price of FREE. Maybe this is the next big outsourcing trend guns for hire - the pricing model needs a little work IMHO.

It remains to be seen if the Indians are willing to bleed in the defense of Tajikistan? Also, will Tajikistan allow India to use its soil to launch an attack on Pakistan and risk receiving a gift wrapped Babur with love from Gen Kiyani? I think the answer to both questions is a resounding HELL NO .

And I may suggest that you misunderstood it a bit. ward off any external threat to the country's security IMO refers to threat to India's security, not Tajikistan's.

And the answer to at least one of your questions is HELL YES. They are going to allow use of their territory to India in case she needs it for a war. Read this from the article -

The potential implications of this base go far beyond the Indo-Pakistani rivalry on the subcontinent. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, has raised his concern to the Tajik government on the fact that Indian planes can reach Pakistan within minutes

 

[PeacefulIndian]

Hello Friends, I would like to open this thread to discuss the vital importance of the farkhor airbase,tajikistan.

Farkhor Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks for the article. It was a good read. I guess its time to construct similar bases in Kabul, Jalalabad etc. Why not leverage the excellent relations with Afghanistan?

 

[third eye]

"It stipulates the presence of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army to be permanently stationed there, and ward off any external threat to the country's security." -Farkhor Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds like a great deal for the Tajiks. They've effectively outsourced the defense of their nation to India at a great price of FREE. Maybe this is the next big outsourcing trend guns for hire - the pricing model needs a little work IMHO.

It remains to be seen if the Indians are willing to bleed in the defense of Tajikistan? Also, will Tajikistan allow India to use its soil to launch an attack on Pakistan and risk receiving a gift wrapped Babur with love from Gen Kiyani? I think the answer to both questions is a resounding HELL NO .

Grant those at the right places to have done their job.

Everything need not be spelt out or put on the net..or discussed in public forums.

Suffice to say that all that needs to be considered has been ' considered' & all that needs to be 'done' has been done .. & dividends are being obtained.

 

[beckham]

Soldiers loading goods into il-76 transport plane

mig-29

 

[gubbi]

Does anybody know what aircraft and personnel are stationed at this base? AFAIK, only Mi17s were to be stationed there (Indianexpress article). The govt is/was reluctant to commit any fixed-wing aircraft at this base. Has this changed?

 

[Cheetah786]

Here i got a question for you all IF tajicks allow there airbase to be used against attacking Pakistan and Afghans allow their airspace to be used against Pakistan dosn't that means those nations themselves have declared war on Pakistan?

 

[PeacefulIndian]

Here i got a question for you all IF tajicks allow there airbase to be used against attacking Pakistan and Afghans allow their airspace to be used against Pakistan dosn't that means those nations themselves have declared war on Pakistan?

I think that depends on the nature of pact between the countries, India & Tajikistan here. I have read somewhere that as long as all parties are informed, Pakistan can not accuse Tajikistan & Afghanistan of waging war against it. But the converse is otherwise. If you attack that base in Tajikistan, you in effect attack both countries, India & T'stan.

Just depending on my memory. I tried to find that article but could not.

 

[jeypore]

Does anybody know what aircraft and personnel are stationed at this base? AFAIK, only Mi17s were to be stationed there (Indianexpress article). The govt is/was reluctant to commit any fixed-wing aircraft at this base. Has this changed?

If I am not mistaken, India has stationed sukoi's

 

[pmukherjee]

Whatever they might achieve from there, Pakistan cant be the first objective as air bases in India are much closer. In a contingency, yes? It is more of a presence in the Central Asian region. Energy security may be.

 

[Cheetah786]

I think that depends on the nature of pact between the countries, India & Tajikistan here. I have read somewhere that as long as all parties are informed, Pakistan can not accuse Tajikistan & Afghanistan of waging war against it. But the converse is otherwise. If you attack that base in Tajikistan, you in effect attack both countries, India & T'stan.

Just depending on my memory. I tried to find that article but could not.

Any kind of agreement betweenNew dehli and Dushanbe will not matter to Islamabad if they allow there base to be used against Pakistan for any reason Pakistan i am sure will retaliate so why a deal between India and tajikstan will concern pakistan.

 

[L'Indien]

Me thinks that its wrong to look at each and every strategic move made by India as a move against Pakistan. India aspires to be more than just a regional power and perhaps this move is a manifestation of that ambition. Also, as already pointed out it significant from energy security point of view.
I think its unlikely that India would use this base in case of conflict against Pakistan. If 'choking' Pakistan is the aim of GoI, then it would need more than just one air base to do that.

 

[pmukherjee]

Me thinks that its wrong to look at each and every strategic move made by India as a move against Pakistan. India aspires to be more than just a regional power and perhaps this move is a manifestation of that ambition. Also, as already pointed out it significant from energy security point of view.
I think its unlikely that India would use this base in case of conflict against Pakistan. If 'choking' Pakistan is the aim of GoI, then it would need more than just one air base to do that.

Right on the button buddy, Pakistan is not the objective here.