Drugs, narco-terror, security: Why the US–India meeting in Washington matters?

The meeting was opened by Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Sara Carter, who highlighted the shared commitment of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhancing security cooperation and eradicating narco-terrorism.

India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, said New Delhi accords the highest priority to countering narcotics trafficking and the diversion of precursor chemicals, while ensuring a balance between effective enforcement and the facilitation of legitimate trade.

The Executive Working Group was led by ONDCP Acting Deputy Director Debbie Seguin and Narcotics Control Bureau Deputy Director General Monika Ashish Batra, representing the US and Indian delegations respectively. The group focused on delivering tangible and measurable outcomes to advance the critical bilateral counter-narcotics partnership.

“The drug crisis is now a core national security priority,” Director Carter said. “This Executive Working Group leverages the strength of the bilateral partnership to protect families while also supporting legitimate industries.”

During the discussions, both sides emphasized the importance of a whole-of-government approach to streamline interagency and intergovernmental coordination and to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain, in line with their respective national laws and regulations. They also agreed to build on the success of recent joint operations aimed at disrupting illicit narcotics trafficking networks.

“This meeting highlights the United States’ and India’s enduring and shared commitment to addressing the global drug challenge and fostering a safer and healthier future for both nations,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.