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India will host the two-day BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies meeting in Guwahati from Monday (July 6, 2026). Organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the meeting will focus on issues such as combating synthetic drugs, strengthening intelligence sharing and operational coordination, and capacity building and institutional cooperation.
“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 Union Home Ministry said in a statement.
Highlighting emerging transnational challenges such as proliferation of synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, darknet-enabled trafficking, and cryptocurrency-based financial flows, the Ministry noted: “At the same time, advances in interdiction technologies, data analytics, and financial intelligence present significant opportunities for enhanced international cooperation and coordinated enforcement action.”
At the meeting, India will showcase its efforts to combat the drug menace. “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,” said the Ministry.
On the lines of its whole-of-government and network-centric approaches, India has recently released the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) to further strengthen institutional capacity in the fight against drugs.
“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,” the Ministry said.
The meeting will culminate with the adoption of a joint declaration.
BRICS comprises 11 major emerging markets and developing countries of the world: India, China, Brazil, Russia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
Published – July 05, 2026 09:15 pm IST
