Farkhor Air Base
| Farkhor Air Base | |
|---|---|
| Farkhor, Tajikistan | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military base |
| Owner | Tajikistan Air Force |
| Controlled by | Tajikistan Air Force |
| Location | |
  Farkhor Air Base Location within Tajikistan | |
| Coordinates | 37°28′12″N 69°22′51″E / 37.4701°N 69.3809°E |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Asphalt |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Tajikistan Air Force |
Farkhor Air Base is a military airfield located near the town of Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of the capital Dushanbe.[1]
Farkhor was reported by Indian media outlets as country's first military base outside its territory.[2][1] India operated a field hospital at Farkhor in the late-1990s and early-2000s, which was closed after the establishment of NATO-led ISAF mission.[3]
History
In 1996–97, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) started negotiations with Tajikistan to use the Farkhor Air Base to transport high-altitude military supplies to the Afghan Northern Alliance, service their helicopters and gather intelligence. At that time, India operated a small military hospital in the Farkhor region.[1] The hospital at Farkhor was used to treat Afghan Northern Alliance members injured in fighting with the Taliban, including military leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was rushed there after a suicide attack against him.[4]
In 2002, India acknowledged that it was setting up an air base in Farkhor[5] with Russian assistance.[6][7] As of 2015, there has not been any evidence of Indian Air Force presence at Farkhor.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Making the water boil in Afghanistan". The Hindu. 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "India to station MiG-29 fighter-bombers at Tajikistan base". The Tribune. 22 April 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ a b Putz, Catherine (15 July 2015). "Will There Be an Indian Air Base in Tajikistan?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
- ^ "India to open military hospital in Tajikistan". The Times of India. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "Indian military shadow over Central Asia". Asia Times. 10 September 2002. Archived from the original on 17 September 2002. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ Tanchum, Micha'el (22 March 2019). "China's Tajikistan military base eclipses India's Central Asian ambitions". East Asia Forum. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "India, Pakistan and the Battle for Afghanistan". Time. 5 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2012.