Marking a new chapter in counter-narcotics diplomacy, the first US-India Drug Policy Executive Working Group convened in Washington January 20-21. The Indian Foreign Ministry outlined the high-level dialogue on worldwide drug smuggling challenges and regulatory alignment for mutual prosperity.
ONDCP’s Sarah Carter launched the event, invoking shared Trump-Modi pledges for enhanced security and narco-terror elimination. Carter noted the crisis’s escalation to national security forefront, crediting the working group with bilateral strengths for public welfare and economic legitimacy.
From India, Ambassador Vinay Kwatra voiced commitment to prioritizing smuggling and chemical diversion risks, alongside enforcement-trade equilibrium. Chaired by ONDCP’s Debbie Seguin and NCB’s Monika Ashish Batra, the forum yielded actionable steps to propel joint anti-drug endeavors.
Participants stressed comprehensive governance models easing agency collaborations, securing supply lines within regulatory bounds, and leveraging triumphant recent operations against trafficking webs. This aligns with broadened US-India security frameworks encompassing terror countermeasures and policing, where narcotics opposition is integral given syndicates’ transnational nature.
Looking ahead, the group heralds a robust alliance poised to deliver lasting impacts on global drug containment efforts.