India and US Strengthen Ties to Combat Synthetic Drug Trafficking

WASHINGTON: India and the United States are strengthening cooperation to track drug-trafficking networks and prevent chemicals used to manufacture synthetic narcotics from entering illegal supply chains, the White House said in a readout of bilateral talks.

Officials identified closer intelligence sharing, coordinated law enforcement operations and safeguards for pharmaceutical supply chains as priorities at the second India-US Drug Policy Executive Working Group meeting, held in New Delhi on November 2-3. The statement, issued by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), said both governments also discussed emerging trafficking threats and measures to reduce drug demand. India's delegation was led by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General Anurag Garg.

Debbie Seguin, acting deputy director of ONDCP, headed the American team.

Cooperation is "vital to disrupting transnational drug trafficking networks and preventing the diversion of synthetic drugs and chemical precursors into global markets," said ONDCP Director Sara Carter. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the two countries were moving beyond pledges to practical cooperation.

"India and the United States aren't just talking about cooperation; we are delivering real operational results -- choking off illicit precursor chemicals, securing commercial supply chains, and dismantling the cartels that exploit them," he said.

Garg highlighted India's Vision Roadmap 2026-2029, which emphasises investigations into entire criminal networks rather than individual drug seizures.  It calls for targeting financiers, suppliers, facilitators and transport networks, alongside financial investigations, prevention and rehabilitation. (IANS)