India is sandwiched between the two largest drug production networks of the world namely the Golden Triangle (Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar) and the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan-Pakistan- Iran), and this makes India vulnerable to drug trafficking. However, the factors responsible for the growing menace of drug trafficking in the country go beyond its mere proximity to the largest drug production networks.

These factors include the following:

• Availability of maritime routes: With a long coastline and availability of numerous ports, India is sensitive to drug trafficking through maritime routes. For example, according to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), drug trafficking through sea routes in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is estimated to be around 70% of the total illegal drugs smuggled into India.
• Increased demand for drugs: From traditional plant-based drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, and heroin to synthetic drugs such as tramadol, demand for narcotic substances in India has increased manifold in recent years.
• Social factors: Various factors like the disintegration of the old joint family system, absence of parental love and care in modern families where both parents are working, a decline of old religious and moral values, etc. have led to a rise in the number of drug addicts and thus, drug trafficking.
• The increased role of the Internet: Challenges such as emergence of illegal Internet pharmacies, the use of the dark net to place orders and make payments through trading platforms using cryptocurrencies, etc. have increased the procurement of drugs and made distribution easy.
• Logistical issues: There are issues of manpower, infrastructure challenges, and budgetary constraints to intercepting drugs at points of India’s entry for the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is the lead agency in this regard.

• Inadequate diplomatic leverage: India’s current diplomatic leverage and security cooperation are minimal both at the point of origin, i.e., Afghanistan, and the principal route, i.e., Pakistan, which makes it difficult to gather intelligence about smuggling.

Various measures taken by the government to tackle drug trafficking in India include:

• Institutional measures:
  • The Anti-Narcotics Task Force, a task force on the dark web, cryptocurrencies, etc. has been constituted to act quickly to curb drugs and the usage of the dark net in drug procurement. Amongst border guarding agencies, the Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Coast Guard have been empowered to take action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
• Technological measures
• A National Narcotics Coordination Portal (NCORD) has been created through which all agencies across the country will not only be able to get information but will also be able to exchange the best practices.
• Administrative measures:
• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025, which aims at the reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy involving education, de-addiction and rehabilitation of affected individuals and their families.
• De-addiction campaigns are being run, there is strict surveillance and enforcement at import and export points of drugs, and training programs are being conducted for various law enforcement officials to combat the drug menace.
• Global measures: The government of India has entered into a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on narcotics with different countries for the timely exchange of intelligence information to take place. For example, the MoU between India and Nepal on Drug Demand Reduction and Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

Drugs have an adverse effect on the security of the individual, society, economy, and country, which is why it is necessary to uproot their use with firmness. No healthy, prosperous, capable, and safe nation can achieve its goals without adopting a zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking.