India’s Commitment to Combat Illegal Synthetic Drug Trafficking : Jaishankar

India’s Commitment to Combat Illegal Synthetic Drug Trafficking : Jaishankar

Amritsar, 29th September, 2024 (kulbir kalsi): External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed the Global Coalition Summit on combating synthetic drug threats on Tuesday. During his speech, he highlighted India’s role as co-chair of Working Group 1 in global efforts to tackle the illegal production and trafficking of synthetic drugs.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, the minister stated, “India has long been affected by the nexus between terrorist groups and narco-trafficking. Cross-border rackets smuggle drugs into our region, and the proceeds from this fuel terrorism. To strengthen cooperation, India has signed 45 bilateral agreements and established a robust framework to regulate 27 precursor chemicals domestically.”

He further emphasized, “The deepening partnership between India and the United States must be acknowledged. Our Counter Narcotics Working Group has met four times, and the recent conclusion of the Bilateral Drug Framework and MoU in Wilmington marks a significant step forward. India calls for enhanced operational cooperation, intelligence sharing, and stronger law enforcement to counter the synthetic drug trade. United in this mission, we are confident that our collective resolve and collaboration will create a safer, drug-free world for all.”

Jaishankar, who is in the U.S. to participate in the UNGA session, also held bilateral meetings with his G4 counterparts (India, Japan, Germany, and Brazil) and several global leaders. He met with his counterparts from Spain, France, Venezuela, Malta, Panama, Cyprus, Moldova, Bolivia, and Guyana, as well as the European Commissioner for Climate Action. The discussions covered regional issues such as the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, alongside exchanging ideas to strengthen bilateral ties.