Donald Trump Praises PM Modi’s Opium Crackdown

US President Donald Trump has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for their efforts to tackle illegal opium production, even as India remains on the US list of major illicit drug producing or drug transit countries. Trump welcomed India’s efforts to control illicit opium poppy cultivation and strengthen supply chain integrity.

“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 United States has listed India among the major illicit drug-producing or drug-transit countries for 2027. The list also includes 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 US clarified that being included on the list does not necessarily mean that a country’s government has failed in its fight against drugs. Countries can be included because of geographical, commercial and economic factors that make them major drug production or transit hubs. This can be the case even when their governments have strict anti-narcotics measures in place.