Indian Foreign Minister M.J. Akbar met with his counterpart from the Republic of Tajikistan, and both foreign ministers discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, including military cooperation. One of the issues is deepening cooperation, associated with the operation of the Indian Air Force at Parhar Air Base (Farkhor) in Tajikistan. This is a military facility, which with 2005 year began to be used by the Indian Air Force as a base in Central Asia.
Farkhor is India's only full-fledged air base outside of India. At the same time, it was initially used as an object of support for the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan.. In particular, it was about the exploitation of military transport personnel of the Indian Air Force. Also located at the base 12 MiG-29. What is happening on Farkhor now? – the Indian Air Force press service does not provide any information on this.
The silence of the Indian authorities over activities on Farkhor prompts, to put it mildly, nervousness of one of India's main geopolitical rivals, Pakistan. Pakistani military command considers, that the Indian air base in Tajikistan has long ceased to be relevant for the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan and should be closed. Islamabad is confident, that India is creating an additional foothold, which at a certain moment could be used for "anti-Pakistani aggression". Also in Pakistan they claim, what are ready for “response measures”, if the base is not disbanded.
What else is known about the talks between the foreign ministers of Tajikistan and India? known, that we were talking about a previously closed hospital, in which soldiers and police officers of the Afghan government forces, wounded in battles with terrorists, were treated on Tajik territory. Some time ago, the official Dushanbe stated, that it ceases to provide Kabul with treatment services for military personnel on its territory "due to lack of funding". It should also be noted, that earlier in Tajikistan there were concerns about the possible penetration of militants from Afghanistan under the guise of wounded Afghan soldiers. It can be assumed, that India is preparing to fund the rehabilitation of the hospital to extend the medical assistance program for Afghan security forces.
India also intends to continue supporting Dushanbe by providing training for pilots of the republic's air force.
