Guwahati meet: India pitches for BRICS virtual anti-drug network

Guwahati: India has proposed the creation of a BRICS Virtual Working Group for real-time intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement against transnational drug syndicates as the two-day BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting began in Guwahati under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, officials said on Monday.

The high-level meeting has brought together heads of anti-drug agencies and senior officials from BRICS member nations to strengthen cooperation against the growing global challenge of drug trafficking and substance abuse.

Addressing the inaugural session, Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Anurag Garg, who is leading the Indian delegation, urged BRICS drug law enforcement agencies to forge a partnership based on speed, trust and seamless real-time intelligence sharing that transcends national borders and enables swift action against organised international drug trafficking networks.

He said the increasing sophistication of transnational drug syndicates demands greater coordination, faster information exchange and stronger operational collaboration among BRICS nations.

Highlighting India’s anti-drug strategy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Garg reiterated the country’s zero-tolerance policy against narcotics and outlined India’s three-year roadmap for 2026-29 based on a network-centric enforcement approach.

The strategy focuses on dismantling entire criminal networks rather than targeting isolated offenders, preventing drug abuse through large-scale awareness campaigns, and strengthening treatment, de-addiction and rehabilitation mechanisms.

As part of its proposals, India called for the establishment of a BRICS Virtual Working Group to institutionalise real-time intelligence exchange, jointly analyse emerging trafficking trends, coordinate enforcement operations and develop a future-ready collaborative framework to combat evolving drug-related threats.

Over the next two days, participating countries are expected to deliberate on emerging trends in synthetic drugs, cross-border trafficking routes, technology-enabled narcotics networks and measures to strengthen collective enforcement capabilities.

The meeting is expected to conclude with a renewed commitment to enhancing cooperation among BRICS countries through intelligence-led operations, capacity building and coordinated action against international drug trafficking networks.

IANS