Trump puts India on narcotics list, but praises PM Modi's anti-drugs push

Trump lauded PM Modi's efforts to curb illicit opium poppy cultivation, even as he named India among 23 major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries.

In Short

• Trump praises PM Modi's efforts against illicit opium poppy cultivation
• US names India among 23 major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries
• Calls for stronger global action on precursor chemicals, naming China specifically

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named India among 23 major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries, including China and Pakistan, in a Presidential Determination submitted to the US Congress. However, he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to curb illicit opium poppy cultivation and called for continued India-US cooperation in tackling the drug menace.

Trump said India's inclusion on the list did not necessarily reflect the Indian government's current counter-narcotics efforts or its cooperation with the United States. He also said he looked forward to continued cooperation with India under the United States-India Drug Policy Framework.

"I welcome Prime Minister Modi and the Government of India’s efforts to address illicit opium poppy cultivation and bolster supply chain integrity," Trump said in the directive, which was made public on Wednesday.

He added, "I look forward to continued cooperation through the United States-India Drug Policy Framework."

The Presidential Determination, which is a White House directive, said countries are included on the list, as required under US law, based on a combination of geographic, commercial and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be produced or transported through their territory.

It clarified that a country's inclusion does not necessarily mean that its government is failing to take effective action against narcotics. The determination noted that countries could be listed even when their governments had taken "robust narcotics control and law enforcement measures".

Besides India, the 23 countries identified as major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries were China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, 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.

Trump also highlighted what he described as "historic progress" by his administration in tackling drug trafficking and narcoterrorist organisations.

He pointed to tighter border security, reduced drug seizures and a decline in overdose deaths as indicators of progress.

"After four years of open border chaos, seizures of fentanyl and other drugs being smuggled into the United States have been reduced by more than half, and drug overdose deaths have plunged," Trump said.

He claimed that the measures taken by his administration had saved tens of thousands of American lives.

The US President also called for stronger international action to prevent the flow of precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs.

"The PRC continues to be the world's largest producer of many of the precursor chemicals used to illicitly produce fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly synthetic drugs," Trump said, referring to China by its official name, the People's Republic of China.

Trump said he had raised the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He also noted that Beijing had introduced licencing requirements last year for companies exporting designated precursor chemicals to North America.

The determination, therefore, combined praise for India's efforts to tackle illicit opium cultivation with its inclusion in the US list of major drug transit and illicit drug-producing countries under a statutory requirement. Trump also urged countries, including China, to step up efforts to tackle drug trafficking and the movement of precursor chemicals.

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