The Union government has reiterated its zero-tolerance approach to drug trafficking, highlighting a series of enforcement, technological and policy measures aimed at curbing narcotics trade and drug abuse across the country.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with state and Union Territory police, continues to conduct intelligence-led operations and preventive initiatives to combat drug trafficking and protect young people from substance abuse.
The minister said the government has adopted the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–2029), released on June 26, 2026, outlining a three-year roadmap with time-bound targets under a “Whole-of-Government” and “Whole-of-Society” approach to strengthen narcotics control.
According to the government, enforcement agencies have intensified action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, resulting in increased drug seizures, arrests, disposal of seized narcotics, destruction of illicit cultivation, financial investigations and preventive detentions under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act.
To improve coordination among enforcement agencies, the Centre has strengthened the four-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism and developed the NCORD portal, which provides information on enforcement activities, training, offender databases and best practices.
The government has also established a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) to monitor major narcotics and narco-terrorism investigations. So far, 11 meetings have been held at the national level and 75 at the state level.
As part of capacity-building efforts, the NCB has been training officers in cyber-enabled narcotics investigations, digital forensics, darknet monitoring and cryptocurrency-related investigations in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) and Rashtriya Raksha University. The Vision Document also proposes dedicated Darknet and Cryptocurrency Cells in all Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTFs), along with the use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to tackle technology-driven drug trafficking networks.
The government said international cooperation has also been expanded through bilateral agreements with 27 countries and Memorandums of Understanding with 19 countries. India also holds regular high-level discussions on narcotics control with countries including Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and the United States.
To encourage public participation, the government has launched the 24×7 National Narcotics Helpline, MANAS, allowing citizens to report drug-related issues through a toll-free number, email, web portal and the UMANG mobile application.
The Centre has also launched the Mission Drug Free Campus initiative across educational institutions to raise awareness among students about drug abuse. Under the Vision Document, the government proposes the creation of drug-free zones extending 500 metres around educational institutions and consent-based drug screening as part of student wellness programmes in centrally funded higher educational institutions.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the provisions of the NDPS Act are reviewed periodically in light of judicial decisions, implementation experience and emerging challenges, with amendments proposed whenever necessary to strengthen the legal framework against drug trafficking.
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