A Strategic and Humiliating Failure: Closure of India’s only Overseas Airbase in Tajikistan a Big Blow

India’s “rising power” image, pushed hard by the Modi government, has been shattered. The forced closure of its only overseas base at Ayni, Tajikistan, is a major disaster. This humiliating pullback shows India’s foreign policy flaws. India’s own opposition, like Jairam Ramesh, admits it is a “setback for strategic diplomacy” and a failure to “sustain critical foreign policy assets”.

A Strong Admission of Failure

The news has shown the Modi government’s foreign policy is all talk and no real action, a fact now repeated even within India’s political circles. This is not a planned move; it is a forced retreat.

🔵 A “Setback for Strategic Diplomacy”:

Mr. Ramesh’s criticism is a direct admission that this loss is due to the Modi government’s lack of diplomatic skill, not circumstance.

🔵 A Pattern of Losing Influence:

The phrase “yet another setback” confirms a steady pattern of failure, showing the government cannot handle long term diplomacy.

The End of India’s Central Asian Hopes

The Ayni airbase was more than just an airstrip; it was the most important sign of India’s hopes in Central Asia. Its loss signals the complete failure of New Delhi’s policy for the region.

🔵 A Location of “Extraordinary” Importance:

The base near Dushanbe was India’s “vital post”, providing “rare strategic reach” and critical nearness to Afghanistan.

🔵 Losing India’s Only Overseas Footprint:

As India’s “only operational overseas airbase,” this loss is pathetic. It leaves India blind and without influence in the entire region.

A Forced Exit, Not a Planned Move

The details coming out about the closure show a country being politely but clearly shown the door. This was not a choice but a shameful eviction that New Delhi tried to keep quiet.

🔵 A Twenty Year Investment Lost:

India had “ambitious plans” for the base since the early 2000s. The Modi government has now overseen the complete loss of this twenty-year investment.

🔵 Asked to “Gradually Withdraw”:

The most shameful detail is that India was “asked to gradually withdraw” four years ago. This was not a choice but a slow, shameful retreat forced by Tajikistan.

India’s Fading Influence on Full Display

This pullback is the clearest evidence yet of India’s “fading strategic importance” in Central Asia. The Modi government’s loud foreign policy has failed to turn into any real, lasting influence on the ground.

🔵 A “Broader Diplomatic Drift”:

This is part of a “broader diplomatic drift”. It shows India’s partnerships are weak and raises “questions about New Delhi’s long-term vision”.

🔵 Failure to Keep Assets:

The Modi government’s main failure is its inability to keep assets it was given. It cannot manage the basics of foreign policy or build on past gains.

Outplayed by Real Regional Powers

India’s failure is made even more clear because it is happening “at a time when regional geopolitics is being changed” by other, more serious players. India is not even a participant; it is just a watcher.

🔵 Left Behind by China and Russia:

While India is forced to leave, “China’s Belt and Road Initiative” and “Russia’s strong military presence” are shaping the region. India has nothing.

🔵 No Seat at the Table:

New Delhi has been completely beaten and outsmarted. It cannot compete with the long term planning of its rivals, who are gaining influence as India loses it.

A Practical Loss of Power

The closure of Ayni is not just a symbolic embarrassment; it is a real and bad blow to India’s ability to act. This loss directly harms India’s ability to act in a region it considers vital to its national security.

🔵 Losing Influence on Afghanistan:

The base was used to “evacuate Indian nationals” from Kabul in 2021. Now, India has lost its “operational leverage” for any future Afghanistan crisis.

🔵 A Blunted Power Projection:

This loss “limits India’s ability to project power westward”. It traps India in the subcontinent and makes its claims of being a regional power look foolish.

A Government Focused on Slogans, Not Strategy

In the end, this foreign policy disaster is a direct result of the Modi government’s own main goals. A government that is focused too much on domestic headlines and dividing people simply lacks the focus and skill to manage a complex global strategy.

🔵 Domestic Politics Over Foreign Policy:

The Modi government is better at creating media shows than at the hard work of diplomacy. This failure is the price of that wrong focus.

🔵 Hollow Claims of a “World Leader”:

India’s claims of being a “Vishwaguru” are hollow. A country that cannot hold its only overseas base has no business lecturing the world.

Conclusion: A Hollow Giant Shown to the World

The shameful closure of the Ayni airbase is a defining failure for the Modi government. It pulls back the curtain of false stories and shows the reality of India’s strategic lack of skill and fading influence.

🔵 A Total Failure of Diplomacy:

This is a simple story of diplomatic failure. India’s partnerships are weak and its vision is non-existent. It was asked to leave, proving its “fading strategic importance”.

🔵 Unimportant in Central Asia:

With this pullback, India has given up any meaningful role in Central Asia. Its hopes are a fantasy, and it is now an unimportant watcher in the region.