Use of extremely lethal drugs is spreading rapidly, in the process posing a serious challenge to public health, social stability, and global security. Additionally, it is also a major means of financing terrorism. Keeping this in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday rightly called upon the nations to effectively address this global threat. Addressing the opening session of the G20 Summit at Johannesburg (South Africa), Modi also proposed a special G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus. Under this initiative, the Prime Minister pointed out, various instruments related to finance, governance, and security can be brought together so that the growing drug-terror economy can be effectively weakened. In this context, it is important to note that the interactions between criminal activity associated with the illicit trade in drugs and terrorism represent some of the most serious and complex threats facing the international community today. While the nexus between drugs and terror has been growing worldwide, it is also pertinent to keep in mind that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has already warned of the transnational dimensions of the drug trade and the large revenues that can be extracted from it to finance terrorism. One UNODC report says that the annual worldwide value of illicit drug trade is anywhere between US$ 400 and 650 billion. The illicit narcotics trade has also emerged as a major social issue and poses a serious threat to national security in India. Reports quoting official sources point out that drug lords are using India both as a market and as a transit route to other countries. This illegal trade generates a huge amount of money, which again is diverted towards disruptive activities that have severe consequences on society. As pointed out in the UNODC report mentioned above, these global dynamics widen the potential for a diverse range of links between associated criminal activity and terrorism developing in different regions of the world, each in turn presenting threats to security and development. One of the most glaring examples of the relationship between drugs and terror is that opium cultivated in Afghanistan has been funding terrorist activity in several Central Asian republics. Likewise, the consumption of cocaine in the United States has been helping finance terrorist organizations in Latin America. In this context, it is worth particularly mentioning that while approximately 86% of the world’s opium cultivation takes place in Afghanistan, a very large part of this opium poppy cultivation is under the control of the Taliban. Criminal activities and terrorism of the Taliban do not require elaboration. In this context, it is also imperative that one takes a look at the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report published every year. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the drug trade landscape in South Asia, shedding light on the evolving challenges posed by drug trafficking, terrorism, and the Internet. Pertinent to mention, the INCB says nearly 40% of the world’s opiate users reside in South Asia, because of which the region faces significant challenges in tackling drug abuse and trafficking. The worst thing is that the menace overflows to Northeast India in a dangerous manner.