US Intelligence Identifies India in Fentanyl Supply Chain Alongside China

The US intelligence has named India as a state actor in the fentanyl supply chain, alongside China. Over 52,000 Americans died from fentanyl in 2024. The report emphasized the role of state actors in enabling drug traffickers. Former President Trump highlighted the opioid crisis as a national security emergency, linking it to smuggling and tariffs on imports from China.

For the first time, the United States intelligence community has officially named India alongside China as a significant contributor to the supply of precursor chemicals utilized by criminal organizations for fentanyl production. A report released by the Director of National Intelligence revealed that fentanyl was responsible for over 52,000 fatalities among US citizens within the twelve-month period ending October 2024, highlighting it as one of the deadliest drugs trafficked into the country.

Previously, India had only been identified among multiple nations from which Mexican criminal groups sourced precursor chemicals. Contrastingly, China had been consistently recognized as the primary supplier. The report asserted: “Nonstate groups are often enabled, both directly and indirectly, by state actors, such as China and India, as sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers.”

This intelligence assessment arrives as former President Donald Trump emphasizes the urgency of combating opioid abuse as a top national priority. According to an NPR report, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary at the US Department of Health and Human Services, indicated that although drug-related fatalities are beginning to decline, the administration continues to regard the opioid crisis as a national security imperative.

Furthermore, the NPR report highlighted Trump’s association of fentanyl smuggling with the tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China. On February 1, the US government instituted an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, citing inadequate actions by China against fentanyl trafficking.

Fentanyl emerged as a prominent street drug in the US around 2012, displacing heroin and prescription painkillers as the most hazardous opioid available through criminal networks. During Trump’s initial presidential term, fentanyl-related deaths escalated significantly, increasing by over 30 percent in 2020 alone.

In conclusion, the US intelligence community’s identification of India as a state actor in the supply of precursor chemicals for fentanyl production underscores the gravity of the opioid crisis. With fentanyl claiming over 52,000 lives and being linked to intensified tariff measures, the urgency to address this matter remains paramount. The Trump administration continues to recognize opioid abuse as a critical national security issue.

Original Source: www.business-standard.com