IANS,
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has denied reports that it proposes to deploy its MiG-29 multi-role fighters at an air base in Tajikistan that India is helping build and which is likely to be completed by the year-end.
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Responding to a report, an IAF spokesperson claimed that the hangars being constructed by the quasi-military Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at Aini, close to the Tajik capital Dushanbe, were not being built to accommodate air force aircraft of any sort, including trainers.
Contradicting the news report, the IAF declared it was also not helping Tajikistan retrofit its Soviet era aircraft.
The IAF denial, however, is somewhat disingenuous.
It does not directly address the news report that stated that the IAF was planning on “parking” a fleet of MiG-29s for “varying periods” in two of three hangars being constructed by the BRO. These hangers are capable of accommodating between 12 to 14 aircraft.
Defence sources have also told that the IAF is considering posting an officer of the rank of group captain to Aini to supervise the air base's completion by the Tajik National Day on Sep 9.
Presently a contingent of around 40 Indian Army and Air Force personnel, including around six officers commanded by an army colonel, were overseeing the air base's refurbishment.
At no point does the news report declare that the IAF proposes to “deploy” its MiG 29 multi-role fighters at Aini, a term that has different meaning of which the air force is no doubt fully aware.
The report clearly stated that the IAF proposes to send its fighters to Aini from time to time in consonance with growing defence relations between Dushanbe and Delhi. The latter would, of course, be determined jointly by the foreign and defence ministries and the IAF.
It is possible, however, that due to operational considerations the IAF might choose not to send MiG-29's to Aini but some other aircraft.
The type of aircraft would, military sources said, depend on availability as well as the prevailing security situation in the area coupled with India's growing security and economic profile in the oil-rich Central Asian Region.
The IAF has frequently flaunted its “out of contingency area” operational capabilities which, doubtlessly, would encompass such a possibility.
Besides, its inventory that includes long range strike platforms and six Uzebek Il-78 mid-air refuellers point clearly to a “forward deployment” ability and the desire to play an “extended role” in the region.
The Il-78 makes the IAF the world's sixth air force to possess mid-air refuelling capability. Their induction has almost doubled the strike range of the Su-30 Mk I multi-role fighters from 3,200 km to nearly 7,000 km as well as the flight time of its Mirage 2000 H's and Jaguar combat aircraft.
The IAF denial that it does not propose helping the Tajik's service and repair their Soviet fighters is in direct contravention of the bilateral defence co-operation treaty the two countries signed during the previous National Democratic Alliance-led administration.
The report further stated that the defence ministry had declined to comment on its military's role in rebuilding the Tajik air base.
But military planners said it would provide India “longer strategic reach” in the Central Asian Region once IAF fighters began landing there in an endeavour to help it secure badly-needed oil contracts.
