The U.S. President Donald Trump designated 23 countries — including India, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — as major drug transit or illicit drug producing nations.

The “Major’s List” of 2025

• Total Countries: 23 nations were designated, including Afghanistan, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

• Failed Nations: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, and Venezuela were noted as having “failed demonstrably” to make substantial efforts in counternarcotics action.
• Clarification: The U.S. State Department noted that listing does not necessarily reflect a government’s cooperation but is based on geographic, commercial, and economic factors enabling drug transit or production.

Significance

• Geopolitical Implication: The inclusion of India along with China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan places pressure on India’s global image despite its domestic efforts to counter narcotics.
• International Cooperation: Highlights the continuing importance of bilateral and multilateral coordination in drug control under frameworks like UNODC and FATF.
• Domestic Relevance: India’s presence on the list may intensify scrutiny of its drug control enforcement, especially in regions affected by narcotics trafficking (Golden Triangle, Golden Crescent).
• Global Narrative: Reinforces the U.S. position that illicit drugs and synthetic precursors represent both a public health crisis and a security challenge.

India’s Domestic Framework on Narcotics Control

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act)

• Overview: The primary legislation regulating operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Provides for control, regulation, and punishment for offences.
• Amendments: Recent reforms have increased penalties for synthetic drugs, enabled forfeiture of property, and introduced stricter provisions against repeat offenders.
• Precursor Regulation: India monitors production and trade of precursor chemicals (such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) under the NDPS Act to prevent diversion.

Institutional Mechanisms

• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB): Apex enforcement agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for coordinating with states and international agencies.
• Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN): Under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, manages licit cultivation of opium and prevents diversion.
• State Police & DRI: State enforcement bodies and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence play key roles in interdiction and seizures.

International Commitments

• UN Conventions: India is a signatory to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Psychotropic Substances Convention, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic.
• FATF & UNODC Cooperation: India cooperates in global anti-money laundering and counter-narcotics frameworks.
• Bilateral Agreements: India has signed treaties with countries like the U.S., Myanmar, and Afghanistan for information sharing and joint operations.

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