India Maintains Strategic Air Base in Central Asia

[Koovie]

I even read articles stating that we are going to lease Mig 29s...

 

[Bhadra]

we maintain that base for reason.

Pray tell me the reason ? We need bases in Gilgit, Misamari, Daulat Beg Oldie, Trincomalee, Male and Hanbantotta etc

Why in Kazakistan ?

 

[noob101]

Pray tell me the reason ? We need bases in Gilgit, Misamari, Daulat Beg Oldie, Trincomalee, Male and Hanbantotta etc

Why in Kazakistan ?

Why do the Americans spend billions maintaining a nuclear arsenal that can destroy the whole world 2 times.... one would think that destroying the whole world once would be enough but they do it to show the world that they are that powerful.... The same goes for this at the least we will keep Pakistani military planners on their toes. In case of a fully blown out war now they might have to worry about a possible air attack from the north diverting resources to protect from that.....

 

[ace009]

Pray tell me the reason ? We need bases in Gilgit, Misamari, Daulat Beg Oldie, Trincomalee, Male and Hanbantotta etc

Why in Kazakistan ?

I can think of a good strategic reason. A base there is at the OPPOSITE side of Pakistan and China wrt India. Which means even a small group of Indian fighters posted there will force the Pakis and Chinese to build up a potential defense on that front. They will need to keep interceptors, SAMs, early warning systems to ward off a surprise attack by India from the North (or east in case of China) when war breaks out. Most of those installations by the way will be as big as if there were 2 squadrons of IAF aircraft posted there.

That means those assets are tied up in another area and cannot be used in the West (Paki) or South (China).

Also, being the mountainous region it is, there is every chance that even with all those defences, a determined attacker might still get through and cause significant damage to an important asset in Pakistan or China.

 

[arya]

well if that true thats really great but i dont think our govt has guts can deploy fighter planes there

 

[ace009]

well if that true thats really great but i dont think our govt has guts can deploy fighter planes there

Well, even if tey deploy a couple of armed strike drones there or a para commando company, it's still a strategic asset.

 

[noob101]

Automobile? You mean Renault pumping money into the LADA-Zhiuguli Factory? Do you know nobody gives a tuppence about Renault anywhere, including inside France?

When it comes to helicopters, yes, France has an edge, with turbines, but then that's it. Over the years russia has produced gems that will take France years to even bring it up to par. It does get credit for grooming the budding helicpter designers who studied in France and went on to establish major helicopter design bureaux in the USSR.

When it comes to ships, one desgin, just one design, the Mistral, does not equate Russian achievements in Naval Technology. I don't think France is half as capable of building something like the Akula, is it?

I agree with you completely, the only reason why the Russian automobile industry is lagging behind the rest of the world is that during the communist era all resources were spent in design and development of military technology not the civilian market. Just imagine if the same minds that designed the MIg 29 and the Su 27 made cars.

But let me try to make the case that Armand2REP was trying to make..... Russia and France enjoy a strategic relationship going way back before the first world war, not only that even French politics are considered to be a lot more socialist in nature compared to other western nations this is a direct influence from Russia and the Bolshevik revolution... So naturally after the fall of the USSR this relationship rekindled and opened up other markets for France, not just Russia but the other Central Asian republics as well. After the fall some western country had to supply the knowledge to the former USSR and France had and early advantage over the others. So consumer goods like cars etc from France did well there. But this does not mean that "France pretty much runs the country". As far as the sale of Mistral class LPD's is concerned France is the whore of military suppliers it will sell to anyone who is willing to pay, it is not because the Mistral is the best out there, that along with the lack of Russian experience in building ships of that class (the soviets were brilliant designers of submarines as that was their strategic need but large surface vessels was not their cup of tea) .

What ever France influence France has gained in the Central Asian region can be wiped out just like that if Russia wanted to make no mistake about that!

 

[Armand2REP]

You completely missed the hyperbole of the statement. The only CA country Russia runs is Kazakhstan. The rest are up for grabs.

 

[ice berg]

I can think of a good strategic reason. A base there is at the OPPOSITE side of Pakistan and China wrt India. Which means even a small group of Indian fighters posted there will force the Pakis and Chinese to build up a potential defense on that front. They will need to keep interceptors, SAMs, early warning systems to ward off a surprise attack by India from the North (or east in case of China) when war breaks out. Most of those installations by the way will be as big as if there were 2 squadrons of IAF aircraft posted there.

That means those assets are tied up in another area and cannot be used in the West (Paki) or South (China).

Also, being the mountainous region it is, there is every chance that even with all those defences, a determined attacker might still get through and cause significant damage to an important asset in Pakistan or China.

That dosnt make sense at all. it will be a logistical nightmare in time of war. A small group of fighters is not gonna help you at all. In case of war they will be complete isolated. You are the one who need interceptors, SAMS and early warning systems. Or you want to leave the base isolated? What can a lonely base out in nowhere do in time of war? Think about it as a lonely island in the middle of ocean and you will get the picture.

I doubt IAF will launch fighters to strike China from there.....

 

[bhramos]

I even read articles stating that we are going to lease Mig 29s...

you are correct, India will lease Russian MiG-29s and Mi-17s....

the best part is nobody dares to attack us, as the fighters bear Russian flag and it would be joint command with Russians, if its attacked is declaring war on Tajakistan and Russia.....

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

tajik airbase is not feasible for india.india for all practical purfoses have to depend on russia for logistic and security of tajik airbase and the only way india can get here is flying above china which may be feasible in peacetime but impossible if confrontation erupts between india and china.

 

[p2prada]

Other than the reasons given. The base will help us protect our strategic interests in Tajikistan, namely the TAPI gas pipeline.