Tuesday, December 6 2005 17:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: India and Russia are likely to share the Aini airbase in Tajikistan, which is being modernised by Indian Air Force technical personnel.

"Russia is interested in stationing its helicopter gun ships and air force squadrons at Aini airbase. Talks are underway with the Government of Tajikistan," Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov here said last night (Dec 6, 2005) after his meeting with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan.

Under an agreement with the Government of Tajikistan, IAF is modernising the Aini airbase near the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

Diplomatic sources declined to elaborate on Ivanov's statement, although they confirmed that Ivanov had parleys with NSA, who is accompanying the Prime Minister on a three day visit.

"India was reconstructing and modernising the Aini airbase as part of aid to Tajikistan," they said, adding, "The project was taken up at the time when India could not overfly Taliban-held Afghanistan."