Amit Shah unveils roadmap to make India 'drug-free' by 2029

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced a roadmap to make India 'drug-free' by 2029. He described the fight against narcotics as a national security priority, detailing a coordinated campaign and a new 'bottom-to-top' investigation strategy.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday announced that the Central government has established a comprehensive roadmap to achieve the major milestone of making India "drug-free" by 2029, calling the fight against narcotics a priority for national security.

Addressing the media, Shah stated that the fight against narcotics has moved beyond isolated actions to become a coordinated national campaign. "We have created a roadmap to achieve the major milestone of making India drug-free by 2029. We all know that the narcotics trade is a crime that destroys our future generations; furthermore, the 'dirty money' generated through narcotics is also used to fund terrorism, leading to the emergence of 'narco-terror' modules in various countries, a problem that plagues the entire world today. Since 2019, we have taken measures to crack down on this issue: we have overhauled systems, dismantled networks, broken financial chains, and provided support to help victims break free from addiction," Shah said. He added, “Before 2014, the battle was fought in a fragmented manner, at the unit level and in silos, where satisfaction was derived merely from apprehending petty offenders. From 2019 onwards, we made this a priority issue for our national security. Our fight against narcotics moved beyond mere paperwork and isolated actions by various agencies to become a coordinated, sustained campaign at the national level.”

Multi-Pronged Strategy Against Narcotics

Detailing the approach adopted, the Home Minister highlighted the "bottom-to-top" and "top-to-bottom" investigation strategy. "To this end, we established the four-tier Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism in 2019. We shared a model for constituting dedicated anti-narcotics task forces with all states and Union Territories and formed a Joint Coordination Committee in 2019, bringing together central agencies, states, and various departments of the central government for integrated action. We launched the 'MANAS' helpline (1933) for the rehabilitation of drug-affected youth and restructured the NCB cadre. We restructured the organisation. We created a national database of narcotics offenders through the 'NIDAN' portal. We prepared a nationwide, data-driven map of hotspots, modus operandi, and seizures using CCTNS data and integrated data fusion. We also adopted a new 'bottom-to-top' and 'top-to-bottom' approach: if even a single small packet of drugs is seized, we investigate the entire network to trace its origin within the country; conversely, if a large consignment is intercepted at the border, we track its intended path from that bulk stage down to the individual user. We initiated a methodology for conducting a complete 'reverse investigation' of such networks," he said. He added, "We emphasised financial investigations and the application of the PIT-NDPS Act. We constituted a high-level, dedicated task force. We initiated technology-enabled investigations targeting darknet activities, encrypted communications, crypto-payments, and 'dead-drop' delivery methods, and established a dedicated Darknet-Crypto Cell within the Task Force. We also established an inter-ministerial mechanism to address issues regarding precursor chemicals, synthetic drugs, and drug diversion. All of this has yielded excellent results."

Crackdown on Fugitives

Turning towards the extradition of fugitives, Shah also provided a significant update on the government's campaign against criminals who fled the country. "Between 2019 and July 2026, we successfully extradited 274 fugitives from 36 countries, individuals involved in economic offences, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, or gang wars, and brought them before Indian courts. Over the past 3 years, 401 Red Corner Notices have been processed; specifically, by July 2026 of this year alone, we successfully completed the entire procedure to issue 182 Red Corner Notices. A new system, 'Bharat-Pol', was established for this purpose. More than 14 central agencies and the police forces of all states are connected to 'Bharat-Pol'. A robust mechanism has been put in place through 'Bharat-Pol' to facilitate the extradition of fugitives from every state. Between 2019 and 2026, assets worth approximately Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitives were sealed, and the new criminal laws have paved the way for legal action against these fugitives," Shah informed.

Improved Security Landscape

Addressing the security landscape in Jammu & Kashmir, the Northeast, and Naxal-affected regions, Shah reflected on the progress since 2014. "If we look back today under the leadership of PM Modi from 2019 till now, after the removal of Article 370 in J&K, the feeling of separatism has reduced a lot. The figures of terrorism appear to be gradually shrinking towards zero, and J&K has moved ahead on the path of development. Successful efforts were also made to bridge the mental distance between J&K and the rest of India. The 5-decade-old problem of Naxalism has now become a thing of the past. All those who envisioned a Red Corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati Nath have today laid down their arms, surrendered, and moved forward to join the mainstream. Similarly, in the North-East too, about 10,000 youth laid down their arms, the Govt of India signed more than 14 agreements with them, and today the North-East has also started on the path of development," he added.

Implementation of New Criminal Laws

Highlighting the implementation of the three new criminal laws, the Home Minister lauded the Goa Police for their efficiency. "In a short span of time, following the implementation of the three new criminal laws, they succeeded in raising Goa's conviction rate from 22 per cent to 53.2 per cent. This signifies a 30 per cent increase in the rate of securing convictions for every registered FIR, and I estimate that for FIRs registered under the new laws, this ratio is likely to reach 70 per cent, as the current figures still include some cases from the IPC/CrPC era. Today, the number '1930' has emerged as a surefire solution for protection against cybercrimes. We have successfully ensured the implementation of the three new laws right down to the police station level, working in collaboration with the states through the Ministry of Home Affairs. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the Chief Minister of Goa and the Goa Police," Shah said.

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