E-Paper
Trump warns nations enabling drug trafficking of ‘serious consequences’, India on the list
Trump warned 23 countries, including India, of serious consequences for failing to curb drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump has warned countries where illegal drug trafficking and narcotics production is rampant that they face “serious consequences” if they fail to curb the flow of illegal substances, with India among the 23 nations placed on Washington’s latest watchlist.
In his annual Presidential Determination submitted to Congress, Trump identified India, Pakistan, China and Afghanistan alongside 19 other nations as “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries.” The full list includes The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
The US government stressed that inclusion on the list does not necessarily reflect a lack of cooperation by a country’s government, but rather geographical and economic factors that make them key sources or conduits for drug flows into the United States.
‘Unacceptable toll’ on Americans
Trump linked the global narcotics trade to a worsening domestic crisis, pointing out that trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44.
“More than 40 percent of Americans know someone who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024 we averaged over 200 deaths daily due to illicit drugs,” Trump said. “This remains unacceptable, and my Administration is deploying every aspect of American power to defeat this threat.”
Warning to governments
While designating 23 countries, Trump issued a stark warning: “Countries where these drugs originate and transit must fulfil their obligations and shut off these supplies — or face serious consequences.”
He accused China of being the “world’s largest source” of precursor chemicals for fentanyl production and called on Beijing to take “stronger and sustained action.” He also criticised the Taliban for profiting from narcotics trade in Afghanistan despite its declared drug ban.
Five countries — Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia and Venezuela — were singled out as having “failed demonstrably” to meet their international counternarcotics obligations.
India included in list
India, though not accused of failing demonstrably, was again included on the “Major’s List” for its role as a transit and production hub for certain narcotics and precursor chemicals. Washington did not directly criticise New Delhi’s counter-narcotics efforts but said the inclusion was based on geographical and commercial factors.
The White House has previously described India as a key partner in global anti-drug cooperation, but the renewed listing indicates that the US expects stronger measures to curb trafficking routes operating through South Asia.
