The world has been in disarray since President Donald Trump was re-elected for a second term. He has repeatedly encountered backlash from the international community because of his outrageous ambitions. From setting his sights on Greenland, trying to annex Canada as 51st state of the USA, renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America” and trying to exert control over the Panama Canal, his diplomatic manoeuvres have sparked intense opposition.
Now, a similar scenario has transpired as ten nations, including India, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have banded together to resist the United States. It happened during the 7th “Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan” which was hosted by Russia. The development took place after the Trump administration attempted to seize control of the Bagram air base near Kabul.
“They (the participants) called unacceptable the attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring states, since this does not serve the interests of regional peace and stability,” read a joint statement from the pivotal event. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister of the Taliban who led the Afghan delegation, reaffirmed the same at a press conference following the meeting.
He aserted, “Afghanistan is a free and independent country, and throughout history, it has never accepted the military presence of foreigners. Our decision and policy will remain the same to keep Afghanistan free and independent.”
Trump asked the Taliban to turn over the Bagram air base to Washington, five years after an agreement with them that allowed the United States to withdraw from Kabul. The Taliban, however, refused the proposal.
Brief history of Bagram air base
Afghanistan’s largest military facility, Bagram air base, is situated in the pivotal Parwan region which is approximately 60 kilometres north of Kabul. Parwan’s connections with key cities like Kabul, Kandahar and Bamiyan provide it the capability to govern a large portion of the country
The Soviet Union built the installation in the 1950s and it gained prominence during the Cold War and the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989). However, the base was under the jurisdiction of the Afghan government at the time which changed when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979.
Moscow left the nation after 10 years of its authority on the air base. The Northern Alliance, one of the most powerful opposition parties vying for power, secured its from the Soviet-backed government of Muhammad Najibullah in 1991. However, it came to the hands of the Taliban later.
DID YOU KNOW: Bagram Airbase was built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s
— RT (@RT_com) September 20, 2025
We can surely work something out https://t.co/23oS2NCbR5 pic.twitter.com/fvpGmlMkrI
The air base became the primary operating base for American forces after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and served as a command, information and logistics centre during the “War on Terror.” The base could carry around 10,000 people in 2009.
Thousands of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces comprising of units from the United Kindgom’s Royal Marines.were stationed there. They remained in the mountainous South Asian country after the 11th September 2001 attacks and withdrew under former President Joe Biden when the Taliban stormed to power in 2021.
The air base operates as a bastion
The air base is approximately 5,000 acres in size. It has two concrete runways, one measuring 3.6 kilometre in length and the other spanning 3 kilometre. It can accommodate large cargo planes and aircrafts like the C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster as well as B-52 bombers due to its spacious area.
Its 11,800 feet runway is long enough to handle takeoffs from several fighter aircrafts. The expansive runways enhances its utility for rapid deployment and logistics operations. Additionally, the air base has three sizable hangars that can hold Apache and Chinook assault and supply helicopters.
It also features a control tower, multiple support buildings and a variety of housing sections. Moreover, there are five aircraft dispersal areas, more than 110 revetments and over 13 hectares of ramp space. It is a fortress owing to the vast space which can fit about 40,000 soldiers.
The air base had expanded to the size of a small town by 2010 when the US control was at its strongest and featured a fully operational hospital, dormitories for thousands of soldiers, stores and supermarkets that had many US franchise restaurants such as Pizza Hut, Subway, Dairy Queen and Burger King. Over 100,000 US personnel used to pass through the airfield in 2012.
A new and upgraded runway, healthcare services and other amenities for the foreign troops were built while the base extended to cover more than 77 square kilometres. Its perimeter displayed thousands of housing units, fuel depots, intelligence centres, a 50-bed hospital with advanced trauma care, more than 110 aircraft shelters and fortified bunkers.
The Parwan Detention Facility which held valuable Taliban and al-Qaeda inmates was also located there. Special missions, drone operations, and intelligence gathering were coordinated from the facility. Several American presidents visited the place like Trump in 2019 and Barack Obama in 2012.
The air base is near the Central Asian, Iranian, Pakistani and Chinese borders. Beijing maintains military and nuclear structures in the Xinjiang region which is also nearby. The Taliban-led Afghan defence ministry currently controls it.
On the other hand, the 2.6 kilometer Salang tunnel which links Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif and other northern cities makes the province a vital entry point. Kabul is also critical to Afghanistan’s connectivity and control as it hosts the highways that connect it to Bamiyan in the west and Ghazni and Kandahar in the south.
Why is the air base strategically signficiant
The capacity of Bagram air base is a notable aspect, however, its unique advantage is in the geographical location. Its strategic importance remained considerable even after the US withdrew the troops from Afghanistan. Its position provides insight into regional dynamics and bears even greater significance as China and the Taliban develop closer connections.
Its proximity to sensitive Chinese locations, the Koko Nur nuclear weapons plant located farther east in Qinghai province and the Lop Nur nuclear test site in Xinjiang which is about 2,000 kilometres away, increases the relevance. It offers dependable surveillance because it is located just 800 kilometres from some these nuclear plants.
According to other reports, the air base’s location provides a critical vantage point for monitoring China’s nuclear arsenal, as it is nearly 92 kilometers from the sites. This allows for a close watch on their nuclear infrastructure and actions. Similarly, it is just 650 kilometres from the Iranian border which means the US can continue to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic, its long-time adversary.
Washington used the air base to support counterterrorism operations, conduct surveillance and keep an eye on nations in the region including China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. Therefore, the strong rivalry between the United States and China, the two biggest economies of the world, elevates its appeal for the White House.
Likewise, gaining control of the air base can place the US in a position to influence broader Central Asia as Trump wants to include countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the Abraham Accords.
China has been using projects like the Belt and Road to grow and consolidate its power. The US could offset its expanding rise in the region by keeping a foothold at the air base. According to experts, China might be able to obtain a strategic foundation in Afghanistan in the absence of the US, possibly acquiring access to its mineral resources and forging a more formidable regional impact.
Key attractions of the air base
Trump’s efforts to retake the base from the Taliban are part of a larger strategic plan and a firm step to protect American national security interests and thwart China’s growing authority in the area.
He has made it clear that Bagram air base is more than just a remnant of the war in Afghanistan. It provides an unrivalled logistical and strategic edge in the region with to its vast runways, state-of-the-art medical facilities and command centres.
America could have unmatched operational reach due to the air base where planes can fly to Pakistan to the east, Iran to the west and the Chinese and Central Asian borders to the north in a matter of hours.
The administration can project American strength in Central Asia and have leverage alongside rapid response capabilities by holding the air base. Hence, it has become a central subject in Washington on the subject of American regional strategy.
🇺🇲🇦🇫| US bargam air base Afghanistan, unfogatable memory.
— Abhimanyu Manjhi (@AbhimanyuManjh5) September 20, 2025
Your words on this 🙏 pic.twitter.com/2HeVo9cAEy
Largest American military base in Afghanistan: It could house tens of thousands of soldiers, had hardened shelters, clinics, fuel stores and runways longer than many international airports. It served as America’s regional nerve centre.
Launching pad in Central Asia: The air base is located north of Kabul at the intersection of Central Asia, Iran, Pakistan and the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
Nearby China’s sensitive locations: The air base is about “an hour away” from important Chinese nuclear and missile sites in Xinjiang. Its location puts it among the closest points of view the United States possibly have against China.
Treasure of intelligence and surveillance: Controlling the air base means having sophisticated aerial surveillance and signal intelligence over a wide area of Eurasia, from Chinese infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road initiative to Russian military operations.
Counterweight to Iran and Russia: The United States could keep an eye on Iranian operations to the west and Russian influence in Central Asia from Bagram. The base acted as a continual reminder to Tehran and Moscow that the United States was in their backyard.
Command of trade routes and supply chains: Afghanistan is situated on new trade routes and has a wealth of unexplored resources. Whoever is in charge of the air base has strategic control over the trade lines that Russia and China wish to protect.
Military foothold close to China: The closest American military installations are located thousands of miles distant from the border with Western China. The air base would improve the US preparedness and deterrence capabilities by restoring an essential forward operating base that is within striking distance of Chinese strategic assets.
Projecting power to combat insurgency and terrorism: The air base served as the starting point for operations against the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) throughout the war on terror. America’s ability to launch a swift attack in the area suffered after it was lost.
Symbol of American credibility and prestige: The abandonment of Bagram air base was seen as a shameful event and regaining it would send a strong message that the United States is not backing down from Central Asia and is back in the game.
China would love to use the infrastructure: China has long been rumoured to be interested in teh air base as a way to expand its Belt and Road footprint and establish a forward operating facility close to India. Washington is alarmed by the same.
Diplomatic chessboard: Trump’s fixation on the air base is a reflection of a broader strategy which is Central Asia. Its control can shift the balance between China, India and Russia, the three largest players and the competitors will fill the void.
Trump’s desperation for the air base
The stated objective of the Trump administration has generated worries about the reintroduction of US forces in the area. The Republican leader openly declared that his country should reclaim the air base due to its close placement to western China, noting that it is near Beijing’s nuclear weapons development facility.
According to Trump, the US and NATO constructed the facility. “We’re trying to get it back. We want that base back,” he declared during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on 18th September. “But one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” he pointed out. “We gave it to the Taliban for nothing,” the president added.
He highlighted that it is “one of the most powerful bases in the world in terms of runway strength and length,” while addressing the journalists and added that “you could land anything there.” The base was, he repeated, “an hour away from where they make their missiles, China.”
On 20th September he reiterated, “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram air base back to those that built it, the United States of America, bad things are going to happen,” on Truth Social.
Trump already demonstrated interest in retaking the former US military compound. He made a similar remark at a press conference in February 2025, which has since been removed from the White House website. “We were going to keep Bagram. We were going to keep a small force there,” he claimed.
“We’re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back, and we want it back soon. If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do,” Trump threatened while talking to the media. He has often criticised the United States for leaving major weapons in Afghanistan after its hasty pullout in 2021, thereby giving them to the Taliban and other armed forces.
The Taliban’s repeated rebuffs
Meanwhile, any foreign military presence in Afghanistan has been categorically rejected by the Taliban. On 21st September, a defence official for the Afghan government emphasised that a deal over Bagram air base was “not possible.” Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence chief of staff, Fasihuddin Fitrat outlined that “some people” wish to retake the base via a “political deal.”
“Recently, some people have said that they have entered negotiations with Afghanistan for taking back Bagram air base. A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan’s soil is not possible. We don’t need it,” he announced. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson expressed that “a policy of realism and rationality should be adopted rather than repeating past failed approaches.”
Zakir Jalal, an Afghan Foreign Ministry official mentioned, “Afghanistan and the United States need to engage with one another without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan,” on social media.
“The Afghans have not accepted a military presence in history and this possibility was completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement (before the Taliban seized power in 2021) but the door is open for further interaction,” he stressed.
This is Bagram Air Base, and this is the legacy of the occupation… helicopters, armored vehicles, and tanks…
— Army of Afghanistan (@Army_of_Afghani) September 21, 2025
Trump dreams of reclaiming them, but we say: Come and add more equipment to our museums! ✊"#Afghanistan_Graveyard_of_Invaders pic.twitter.com/3QA8AOtnch
“Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity are of the utmost importance,” the government officially warned later. The Taliban earlier firmly denied Trump’s allusion to Beijing’s presence in the air base in March and stressed, “Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate not China. Chinese troops are not present there nor do we have any such pact with any country.”
Notably, the first Trump administration (2017-21) had reached an agreement with the Taliban in 2020 that mandated the departure of all NATO forces from Afghanistan.
Opposition to Trump’s aspirations
India has given billions of dollars to Afghanistan. Pakistan has long fought to establish its presence in the country while China is also increasing its investments there. Any Pakistani involvemnet in Afghanistan has frequently been regarded with suspicion by Iran.
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have long feared that the bloodshed in Afghanistan will spread to their own countries. Additionally, Pakistan and the Taliban have had problematic relations in recent years. Islamabad had previously funded and protected the group for decades despite taking US dollars,
Nevertheless, this time the differences have been set aside as the matter of an outside power seeking to make its mark in the region through the country has emerged as the primary concern, reported Al Jazeera. Furthermore, majority of their neighbours are strengthening their ties with them, despite the fact that only Russia has officially acknowledged them as the Afghan government.
Russia and even China, America’s largest long-term adversaries, are not the only countries worried about this re-entry in Afghanistan. Iran is also against an American military deployment amid the heightened tensions with the US and Israel. It could aggravate tensions between the United States and China since the latter sees the military post near its borders as a direct security threat.
While New Delhi has been as a strategic ally to Washington, it has consistently opposed the existence of foreign powers in Afghanistan. Moreover, a considerable divide has emerged in the relationship between the two sides after the implementation of 50% tariffs on India, which encompasses a 25% tariff on acquiring Russian oil.
The six landlocked countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan along with Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have a distinct advantage in regional politics due to their geographic location, which also forces them to look for warmer waters for trade. Many of these countries would consider the US presence in the area to be “undesirable.”
“A US base would put host states on the front line of US-Russia-China rivalry. Moscow and Beijing have both signalled opposition to any renewed US presence, and aligning with that consensus reduces coercive pressure and economic or security retaliation on our much smaller economies,” stated Kuat Akizhanov. He is a Kazakh analyst and deputy director of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Institute (CAREC).
There are apprehensions that reintroduction of the US military in Afghanistan would revive its intelligence activities, exacerbate unrest and revert the country to a proxy battleground.
India sides with Afghanistan
The Indian embassy in Moscow informed that the team from India, headed by Ambassador Vinay Kumar, to the “Russia Format” supported the socioeconomic development and prosperity of the Afghan people as well as an autonomous, peaceful and stable Afghanistan. A safe, secure and stable Afghanistan will benefit the Afghan people and be “fundamental to regional resilience and global security,” Kumar underlined India’s stance.
The events surrounding the air base have crucial regional and security ramifications even for India. Hence, the central government has continuously opposed the establishment of foreign military bases in Afghanistan, citing reservations about regional security, sovereignty and the possibility of stronger outside interference in the nation’s immediate neighbourhood.
Interestingly, Muttaqi is going to be India from 9th to 16th October and will hold talks with with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as well as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Given the contentious relationship between the US and India after “Operation Sindoor” and the latest row around Bagram air base, this meeting is indeed crucial and will be observed by Washington.
