India to host BRICS heads of anti-drug agencies meeting in Guwahati

The meeting will bring together the Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies and senior officials from BRICS member countries to strengthen institutional continuity and foster deeper operational cooperation among the grouping's drug control agencies, a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

The global drug trafficking landscape has evolved significantly, with the proliferation of synthetic drugs, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), darknet-enabled trafficking and cryptocurrency-based financial flows posing complex transnational challenges. At the same time, advances in interdiction technologies, data analytics, and financial intelligence present significant opportunities for enhanced international cooperation and coordinated enforcement action.

India envisions this meeting as a pivotal step in transforming BRICS cooperation from dialogue-centric engagement to structured and action-oriented collaboration, with a focus on strengthening operational coordination, intelligence sharing, capacity building, and collective responses to emerging drug-related threats.

The meeting, hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs, will focus on three key priority areas: Combating Synthetic Drugs and Precursor Diversion. Strengthening Intelligence Sharing and Operational Coordination. Capacity Building and Institutional Cooperation.

The meeting will provide India with an opportunity to showcase its decisive efforts to combat the drug menace, as the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances poses a serious threat to public safety and health and the future of the nation's youth. Over the past few years, India has significantly strengthened its fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.

While the government is taking stringent action against illicit drug trafficking and the organised criminal networks, it is also placing equal emphasis on awareness generation, community participation and treatment for those affected by addiction. While adopting a whole-of-government and network-centric approach, the country has recently released the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) to further strengthen institutional capacity in the fight against drugs, the statement said.

As chair, New Delhi will seek to strengthen cooperation through information sharing on clandestine laboratories and emerging synthetic drug trends, enhanced monitoring of precursor chemicals and pharmaceuticals, intelligence exchange, sharing of best practices, joint training programmes and expert exchanges.

During the two-day meeting, the member nations will deliberate on the drug situation in their respective countries and participate in six thematic sessions based on pressing and emerging global challenges.

These sessions will focus on the following topics: Leveraging Digital Technology for Real-Time Drug Interdiction. Neutralizing Drug Trafficking over Darknet.

Tackling Emerging New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). Reinforcing Global Supply Chains against Precursor Diversion and Chemical Leakage. Special Initiatives for Drug Demand Reduction and Related Measures. Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms.

The meeting will culminate with the adoption of a Joint Declaration.

India's BRICS Chairmanship in 2026 is guided by the overarching theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability ". BRICS brings together 11 major emerging markets and developing countries of the world: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates. It serves as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global as well as regional significance, and issues of global political and economic governance. (ANI)