India, US to bolster counter-narcotics cooperation; meeting in 2026

India's NCB and the White House's ONDCP will hold the Pillar III meeting of the US-India Counter Narcotics Working Group in April 2026. The decision was made in Vienna, focusing on real-time intelligence sharing to fight transnational drug cartels.

US-India to Hold Counter-Narcotics Meeting in 2026

The Narcotics Control Bureau of India and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy will be holding the Pillar III meeting of the US-India Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) in April 2026.

According to a post by the Narcotics Control Bureau of India (NCB) on X on Friday, the announcement was made following the meeting of Director General of NCB, Anurag Garg and Sara Carter, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. During the meeting, the two sides also discussed strengthening cooperation between India and the United States to counter transnational drug trafficking networks.

It further added that the discussions also focused on real-time information exchange to facilitate expeditious parallel investigations in their respective jurisdictions into transnational drug cartels. "Focus on sharing actionable intelligence between India & US to strengthen counter-narcotics cooperation. Real time sharing of information for expeditious parallel investigations in corresponding jurisdictions on transnational drug cartels. Both sides decided to convene the Pillar III meeting of U.S-India Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) in April 2026," the post read.

Inaugural Bilateral Drug Policy Dialogue

Earlier in January, the US hosted the inaugural meeting of the US-India Drug Policy Executive Working Group in Washington, bringing together officials from both countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation against illicit drugs and narcotics trafficking.

The meeting, which took place between January 20 and January 21, was opened by Carter, who highlighted the commitment of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhancing security cooperation and eliminating narco-terrorism.

From the Indian side, Ambassador of India to the United States Vinay Kwatra said that India accords the highest priority to tackling the threats posed by narcotics trafficking and the diversion of precursor chemicals while maintaining a balance between strict enforcement and the facilitation of legitimate trade. "The drug crisis is now a core national security priority. This Executive Working Group leverages the bilateral partnership to protect families while also supporting legitimate industries," Carter said.

Both countries further reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying efforts to dismantle the illegal production and trafficking of illicit drugs and their precursor chemicals. They also emphasised the need for a whole-of-government approach to streamline interagency and intergovernmental efforts and secure the pharmaceutical supply chain in accordance with national regulations.

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