GUWAHATI: India will host the BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting in Guwahati, on July 6 and 7, bringing together the heads of anti-drug agencies and senior officials from BRICS member countries to strengthen international cooperation against drug trafficking.
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Hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the two-day meeting aims to enhance institutional continuity and deepen operational collaboration among BRICS nations in tackling evolving drug-related threats.
The meeting will focus on three priority areas:
> Combating synthetic drugs and precursor diversion.
> Strengthening intelligence sharing and operational coordination.
> Capacity building and institutional cooperation.
Delegates from BRICS member countries will also participate in six thematic sessions covering key issues, including leveraging digital technology for real-time drug interdiction, tackling darknet-based drug trafficking, addressing emerging New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), preventing precursor chemical diversion, reducing drug demand, and strengthening institutional mechanisms.
The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of a Joint Declaration.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the meeting comes at a time when the global drug trafficking landscape is witnessing the rapid spread of synthetic drugs, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), darknet-enabled trafficking and cryptocurrency-based financial transactions, creating increasingly complex transnational challenges.
The event is expected to provide India an opportunity to showcase its recent initiatives to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse. The government said it has adopted a whole-of-government and network-centric approach, combining strict enforcement against organised drug networks with awareness campaigns, community participation and treatment programmes for people affected by addiction.
India has also recently released its Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–2029) to further strengthen institutional capacity in the fight against narcotics.
India's BRICS Chairmanship this year is guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
BRICS currently comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, serving as a platform for cooperation on global political, economic and security issues.