President Donald Trump identified India, China and Pakistan as part of a list of 23 major drug transit and illicit drug‑producing countries, urging their leaders to take action on the issue. The announcement was made in a Presidential Determination addressed to Congress and released on Wednesday.
Trump clarified that inclusion on the list does not necessarily reflect a government’s current counter‑drug efforts or its coordination with the United States. He explained that countries are placed on the list because of geographic, commercial and economic factors that facilitate the transit or production of drugs or precursor chemicals, even when robust law‑enforcement measures are in place.
In the Determination, Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for their efforts to curb illicit opium poppy cultivation and to strengthen supply‑chain integrity. He expressed optimism about continued cooperation under the United States‑India Drug Policy Framework.
The other major drug transit or illicit drug‑producing countries identified in the determination include Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. China and Pakistan are also among the 23 nations listed.
The determination’s release underscores the U.S. commitment to addressing transnational drug trafficking while acknowledging the complex factors that place countries on the list.
