Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 5: India will host the BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting in Guwahati, Assam, on July 6 and 7, bringing together senior officials from member nations to strengthen cooperation against the growing global threat of drug trafficking. The two-day conference will centre on three major priorities — combating synthetic drugs and the diversion of precursor chemicals, enhancing intelligence-sharing and coordinated enforcement, and expanding institutional cooperation and capacity building.
Organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the meeting will serve as a platform for the heads of anti-drug agencies from BRICS nations to deepen operational collaboration and reinforce long-term institutional partnerships.
Representatives from all BRICS countries will review the prevailing drug scenario in their respective nations while participating in six thematic sessions addressing emerging challenges in global narcotics control. Discussions will cover the use of digital technologies for real-time drug interdiction, dismantling darknet-based trafficking networks, tackling the spread of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals, strengthening drug demand reduction initiatives, and improving institutional mechanisms for combating illicit narcotics.
The meeting will conclude with the adoption of a joint declaration outlining the shared commitments of BRICS members in addressing transnational drug-related challenges.
In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that the global narcotics landscape has undergone rapid transformation, driven by the rise of synthetic drugs, New Psychoactive Substances, darknet-enabled trafficking, and cryptocurrency-based financial transactions that facilitate organised crime across borders. At the same time, advances in data analytics, financial intelligence, and interdiction technologies have created new opportunities for stronger international cooperation.
According to the ministry, India intends to use the Guwahati meeting to shift BRICS cooperation beyond dialogue towards practical, action-oriented collaboration by promoting closer operational coordination, intelligence exchange, capacity development, and joint responses to emerging drug threats.
The summit also provides India with an opportunity to highlight its intensified efforts to curb drug trafficking and substance abuse. The government has stepped up action against organised criminal networks involved in illicit narcotics while simultaneously focusing on public awareness campaigns, community participation, and treatment and rehabilitation programmes for individuals affected by addiction.
As part of its comprehensive strategy, India has recently unveiled the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–2029), aimed at strengthening institutional capabilities and enhancing the country's overall response to drug-related crimes.
During its BRICS chairmanship, India will advocate greater cooperation in sharing intelligence on clandestine drug laboratories, monitoring precursor chemicals and pharmaceutical substances, exchanging information on emerging synthetic drug trends, conducting joint training programmes, promoting expert exchanges, and adopting best practices in narcotics enforcement.
India's BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," reflecting the people-centric and humanity-first vision outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2025 Rio Summit.
BRICS currently comprises 11 emerging economies — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The grouping serves as an important platform for cooperation on global political, economic, and security issues, including coordinated efforts to combat transnational crimes such as drug trafficking.