Trump Praises PM Modi’s Opium Crackdown, But India Remains On US ‘Major’ Drug List

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to curb illicit opium cultivation in India, even as Washington continues to classify India among countries designated as major illicit drug-producing or drug-transit countries for 2027. 

The US Department of State, in a statement, praised New Delhi’s efforts to tackle illegal opium poppy cultivation and strengthen safeguards across supply chains.

“I welcome Prime Minister Modi and the Government of India's efforts to address illicit opium poppy cultivation and bolster supply chain integrity. I look forward to continued cooperation through the United States-India Drug Policy Framework”, the US Department of State said in a statement.

The development comes against the backdrop of a wider US push to intensify international cooperation against narcotics trafficking. The United States and India have already established a Drug Policy Executive Working Group, with both sides committing to stronger action against illicit drug production, trafficking and precursor chemicals.

Why India Is Still On The US Drug List

The United States has added India to its list of major illicit drug-producing or drug-transit countries for 2027, along with Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

However, the classification alone does not imply that a country's government has failed to combat narcotics. US guidelines have long maintained that the list might reflect geographical, commercial, and economic characteristics that make countries potential production or transit hubs, even if their governments actively enforce anti-drug policies.

The US has previously classified India in the same category, and Washington has separately commended India's efforts and cooperation on counter-narcotics concerns.

The US National Drug Control Strategy for 2026 also identifies India among source and transit countries with which Washington wants stronger cooperation to protect supply chains and disrupt illicit drug activity.

Trump Points To ‘Historic Progress’ On Drugs

Trump, meanwhile, used the development to highlight what he described as major progress by his administration against drug trafficking and narcoterrorist organisations. He pointed to stronger border security, lower drug seizures and a fall in overdose deaths as evidence of what he called the administration's achievements.

Trump claimed that drug seizures along the US southern border had fallen by more than half following what he described as four years of "open border chaos". He also said drug overdose deaths had "plunged" and claimed that the administration had saved tens of thousands of American lives.

“The narcoterrorists responsible for this invasion are either dead, in jail, or living in fear knowing they will be next to face American justice,” Trump said.

He further said the US military is "unleashed" to strike narcoterrorists if they threaten America.

Trump also claimed that US law enforcement agencies had recorded "record drug seizures" and said allied countries were extraditing more cartel leaders to the United States than ever before.

“We have inflicted unprecedented losses on our enemies, and we are just getting started,” Trump said.

The US-India Drug Policy Executive Working Group is intended to deepen cooperation on dismantling illicit drug networks, precursor chemicals and related trafficking.