Amit Shah Unveils ‘Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029)’ to Dismantle Narcotics Networks

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday unveiled the ‘Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029)’, outlining a comprehensive national roadmap to strengthen India’s fight against narcotics. Chairing the 10th Apex Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in New Delhi, Shah also launched the ‘Online Drugs Disposal Fortnight Campaign’, under which narcotic substances worth more than ₹6,000 crore, weighing over 2.09 lakh kilograms, will be destroyed.

During the high-level meeting, the Home Minister released the NCB Annual Report 2025 and virtually inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal offices in Jammu and Guwahati, reaffirming the government’s zero-tolerance approach towards drug trafficking and organised crime.

Decisive Three-Year Window & Strategy

Addressing the meeting, Shah described the next three years as a decisive period in India’s campaign against narcotics, stating that the country must ensure that drug cartels are dismantled so comprehensively that they cannot recover for decades. He emphasized that the government’s strategy would be guided by the principles of “Detect, Disrupt and Destroy”, combining human intelligence, technological intelligence, and community policing to target every link in the narcotics supply chain—from production and trafficking networks to financiers and kingpins.

Shah added that while drug traffickers must face the strictest legal action, young people affected by addiction should be treated with compassion and supported through rehabilitation and de-addiction programmes.

Fighting High-Tech Narco-Terrorism

Highlighting the evolving nature of drug-related crime, the Home Minister noted that narcotics trafficking has become closely linked with organised crime, narco-terror financing, and cross-border terrorist networks. He warned that smugglers are increasingly using advanced technologies to bypass traditional enforcement:

• Smugglers are deploying drones for cross-border trafficking operations.

• Cartels are utilizing darknet platforms and cryptocurrency payments to obscure financial footprints.

• Networks are exploiting parcel networks and international maritime routes.

To counter this, the Vision Document outlines a roadmap based on four key pillars: Enforcement, Intelligence and Operations; Precursor and Synthetic Drug Control; Demand Reduction and Rehabilitation; and Capacity Building and Coordination. The strategy specifically seeks to strengthen institutional capacity, particularly in tackling synthetic drugs, darknet networks, cross-border trafficking, and emerging narcotics threats.

Hard Enforcement and Financial Crackdowns

Shah directed states to convert their Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTForces) into dedicated, full-time, and well-equipped units, calling for greater coordination among central and state agencies. He also emphasised the need for mandatory financial investigations in major NDPS cases to identify, freeze, and seize proceeds of crime, saying dismantling the financial backbone of drug cartels is essential to eliminating the narcotics ecosystem.

Calling for stronger legal action, the Home Minister stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs is working towards establishing exclusive NDPS courts to ensure faster trials and convictions. He urged states to pursue the creation of dedicated NDPS courts, appoint special public prosecutors, and intensify efforts to bring back drug smugglers and gang leaders hiding abroad by using mechanisms such as Red Corner Notices and extradition proceedings. On the demand reduction front, the government plans to establish drug-free zones and expand awareness campaigns across educational institutions.

Comparative Seizure and Eradication Metrics

Reviewing the government’s performance, Shah noted that narcotics seizures have increased substantially under the Narendra Modi government.

Furthermore, illegal opium cultivation has been aggressively targeted, with over 42,000 acres destroyed in 2025 compared to around 10,000 acres in 2020. Concluding his address, Shah expressed confidence that these coordinated efforts would move the country closer to the goal of a “Nasha Mukt Bharat” as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.