|
Fernandes on surprise visit to Tajikistan |
 |
Defence Minister George Fernandes made a surprise visit to Tajikistan last week, where he discussed developments in Afghanistan, steps to counter terrorism and military cooperation with top Tajik leaders.
Fernandes left for the unannounced two-day visit late on April 24. “There are no details about the visit but the situation in Afghanistan figured in his talks in Tajikistan,” said a Defence Ministry official.
The visit came close on the heels of security talks between Tajik leaders and a visiting Russian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Anatoliy Kotelnikov. Over the past few years, an informal alliance comprising India, Russia and Tajikistan had extended support to Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance in its campaign against the erstwhile Taliban regime in Kabul.
The threat posed by Islamic terrorist groups to both India and Tajikistan has led to growing cooperation between them in the military and anti-terrorism fields. Reports have suggested that Indian aid, including military supplies, was routed to the Northern Alliance through Tajikistan. The three countries held regular consultations last year on the Afghanistan situation in Tajik capital Dushanbe, and Indian Army doctors operated a hospital on the Tajik-Afghan border to treat Northern Alliance fighters wounded in Afghanistan. The past year has also witnessed an increase in military cooperation between India and Tajikistan.
Tajik Defence Minister Sherali Khairulloyev visited India last year, and the two sides are believed to be discussing the possibility of upgrading the Aini military airfield near Dushanbe with India’s technical assistance.
|
