India–Tajikistan relations

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Indo-Tajik relations
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Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Tajikistan president Emomali Rahmon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.jpg
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Tajikistan president Emomali Rahmon.

The bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Republic of Tajikistan have developed considerably owing to both nations' co-operation on security and strategic issues. India has set up its first overseas military base Farkhor in Tajikistan. India also assisted in building Ayni hospital. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Background

Diplomatic relations were established with Tajikistan's independence following the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, which had been friendly with India. Tajikistan occupies a strategically important position in Central Asia, bordering Afghanistan, the People's Republic of China and separated by a small strip of Afghan territory called the Wakhan Corridor from northern Pakistan. Both Russia and China have sought to cultivate ties with Tajikistan, which has also been seen as important in the war in Afghanistan against the Islamist Taliban and Al-Qaeda. [1] [5] India's role in fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and its strategic rivalry with both China and Pakistan have made its ties with Tajikistan important to its strategic and security policies. [1] [5] Military presence in Tajikistan and its neighbouring Central Asian Republics has been coveted by the United States, Russia and China apart from India. [1] [5]

Bilateral cooperation

Despite their common efforts, bilateral trade has been comparatively low, valued at US$42.33 million in 2016-17 increased from US$12.09 million in 2005; [6] India's exports to Tajikistan were valued at US$6.2 million and its imports at US$5.89 million. [6] To expand economic co-operation and trade, Tajikistan and India established an inter-governmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical co-operation and have encouraged investment and trade in hydroelectricity, transport, mining, food processing, construction and tourism. [6] India has also offered to repair and modernise the Varzob-1 hydroelectric power plant. [1] In 2006, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmanov made an official visit to India that resulted in bolstered efforts to expand trade and cooperation on anti-terrorism issues. [1]

Bilateral Trade

Trade Value in US$ Million [7]
2005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–17
Total Trade12.1315.5022.2134.1832.5641.3330.1448.0255.1358.132.2442.33
Exports from India to Tajikistan6.247.4512.4016.7115.7118.3121.2835.1654.2753.7122.2620.51
Imports to India from Tajikistan5.898.059.8117.4716.8523.028.8612.860.864.399.9821.82
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, India as on August,2017

The major items of India's exports are pharmaceuticals, tea, coffee, chemicals, textiles/clothing/apparel and machinery and the major imports are aluminium, cotton, dry fruits, vegetables and organic chemicals. [7] The Trade between the countries is not very significant due to the inaccessibility of the country. Currently all trade between India and Tajikistan is done by sea from India to the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran and then by road through Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan that every thing become expensive for India huge revenue lost in transportation . [7]

ITEC Assistance

As a lesser developed country, and one of the poorest nations in the world, Tajikistan is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) programme. Till date, 381 Tajik personnel have been trained under the ITEC scheme. Similarly, 160 students have received Government of India scholarships for higher studies. So far, 35 Tajik military cadets and 67 young officers have undergone training at National Defence Academy in Pune, Indian Military Academy in Dehradun and other training establishments. The first batch of Tajik officers graduating out of NDA and IMA returned to Tajikistan in June 2007 and were inducted into the Tajik Defence forces.

Strategic and military ties

India's military presence and activities have been significant, beginning with India's extensive support to the anti-Taliban Afghan Northern Alliance (ANA). In 2002, India built a hospital at the Farkhor Air Base, located 60 km from the Afghan border, to treat wounded ANA fighters; [1] the leader of the ANA Ahmed Shah Massoud had been rushed there after the fatal attack on his life on 10 September 2001. After the United States declined Tajikistan's offer to use the base, the Indian government began talks over using the base, and the then-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed an agreement with the Tajik president Emomali Rahmon to that effect on 14 November 2003. [2] India began renovating the base and stationed aircraft of the Indian Air Force there. [2] The use of the base was speculated to include the acquisition of military and energy assets from the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, given India's primary reliance on Soviet/Russian weaponry. [2] India also sees the base providing access to the oil and energy resources of Central Asia. [4] India also promised to aid in Tajikistan's defence and is providing training to the Tajikistan Air Force. [1] [2] Indian presence at Farkhor has been objected to by Pakistan, which sees it as a threat. [2] The Farkhor Air Base became fully operational in 2006, and 12 MiG-29 fighters and trainer aircraft are planned to be stationed there. [1] [4] India is the fourth nation after the US, Russia and Germany to have a military base in Central Asia. [1] India has established a military hospital in southern Tajikistan. The hospital with capacity of 50 beds will treat military personnel as well as civilians. [8]

Cultural ties

Hindi films are the most popular foreign films in Tajikistan. Hindi & Urdu departments are very large in the country's universities. [9]

Related Research Articles

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India, officially the Republic of India, has full diplomatic relations with 201 states, including Palestine, the Holy See, and Niue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the government agency responsible for the conduct of foreign relations of India. With the world's third largest military expenditure, second largest armed force, fifth largest economy by GDP nominal rates and third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, India is a prominent regional power and a rising superpower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tajikistan</span> Landlocked country in Central Asia

Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It has an area of 142,326 km2 (54,952 sq mi) and an estimated population of 9,750,065 people. Dushanbe is the country's capital and largest city. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, China to the east and is separated narrowly from Pakistan by Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. Tajiks form the ethnic majority in the country and the historical Tajik homeland lies in present-day Tajikistan as well as parts of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

The politics of Tajikistan takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in both the executive branch and the two chambers of parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan</span> Combined military forces of the republic of Tajikistan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emomali Rahmon</span> President of Tajikistan (1994–present)

Emomali Rahmon is a Tajik politician who has been serving as 3rd President of Tajikistan since 16 November 1994. Previously he was the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan, as the de facto head of state from 20 November 1992 to 16 November 1994. Since 18 March 1998, he has also served as the leader of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, which dominates the Parliament of Tajikistan. On 30 September 1999, he was elected vice-president of the UN General Assembly for a one-year term.

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Farkhor Air Base is a military air base located near the town of Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of the capital Dushanbe. It is operated by the Indian Air Force in collaboration with the Tajik Air Force. Farkhor is India's first military base outside its territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Iran relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan–Tajikistan relations</span> Bilateral relations

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Ayni Air Force Base, also known as Gissar Air Base, is a military air base in Tajikistan, 10 km (6.2 mi) west of the capital Dushanbe. The base is jointly operated by the Indian Air Force and the Tajik Air Force. It is India's second overseas air base after Farkhor. Since 2014 India has deployed Su-30MKI in limited numbers at this base. The base was extensively used by Indian Air Force as a standby base for its aircraft to evacuate Indian Nationals from Kabul Airport amidst the Afghan Crisis.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">China–Tajikistan relations</span> Bilateral relations

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Tajikistan have friendly relations characterized by bilateral and multilateral collaboration.

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "India to base planes in Tajikistan". The Tribune, India. 15 November 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  3. Mahendra Ved (1 October 2004). "IAF's base in Tajikistan will be ready by '04" (PDF). Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, Times of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 "India to station MiG-29s at Tajikistan base". Daily News and Analysis . 20 April 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 "Scramble for Central Asian bases". Asia Times . 9 April 2003. Archived from the original on 9 April 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. 1 2 3 "India, Tajikistan to further bilateral trade". The Economic Times, Times of India . 2 August 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  7. 1 2 3 "India-Tajikistan Relations" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs India. Government of India. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  8. Pandit, Rajat (18 April 2013). "India airlifts military hospital to Tajikistan to strengthen geo-strategic footprint in Central Asia". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  9. "Central Asia is best place to host centenary of Indian cinema next year". The Times of India. 1 April 2012.