India, Oct. 29 -- The Indian military has wound up its presence at a strategic airbase in Tajikistan, where it first deployed personnel while supporting the erstwhile Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, after the lapse of a bilateral agreement, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The agreement between the Indian and Tajik governments for the development and joint operation of Ayni airbase, located a little more than 10 km west of the capital Dushanbe, ended about four years ago and was not renewed, the people said on condition of anonymity.

Over the past two decades, the India side reportedly spent close to $100 million on developing and upgrading the airbase, which was originally built in the Soviet era and had fallen into...