India gets military partner in C Asia

Officials say Defence Minister George Fernandes is keen that India build up military relationships with nations beyond the Hindu Kush mountains.

A team will be leaving for Tajikistan in the second half of February to finalise the dates and prepare the modalities.

India, which is keen to build multi-faceted ties with the Central Asian republics, made its first foray into the region during the Afghan civil war by opening a hospital at Farkhor in Tajikistan, close to the Afghan border, to treat the injured. The hospital played a key role, providing medical aid to the injured when the Northern Alliance, tacitly supported by American special forces, launched its offensive against the Taliban during the Afghan campaign post-9/11. The hospital was subsequently moved into Afghanistan after the Hamid Karzai government came to power.

Army officials say the planned exercises assume significance due to the strategic location of Tajikistan in the region. Along with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, it forms the Central Asian triumvirate rich in mineral resources.

The fact that these countries share their borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan and China is significant for the geo-politics of the region.

The present exercise will see two Antonov-32s drawn from the IAF and a platoon strength of Indian special forces drawn from the five special forces battalions and IAF pilots and observers participating in jumps and exercises with their Tajik counterparts.

The exercises will also see pilots from IAF transport squadrons demonstrating their lift capability. Since the Tajik military is armed with Soviet equipment as well as military doctrines, sources say Indian troops will be on familiar ground.

These exercises perhaps could prove to be the roadmap for further joint exercises with Tajikistan as well as other C Asian republics in future.