BRICS anti-drug agencies meet in Guwahati

A two-day meeting of the heads of anti-drug agencies from BRICS member countries is set to begin here on Monday, with the discussion expected to focus on enhancing intelligence sharing and cooperation to combat narcotics trafficking, officials said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the deliberations, being hosted by the Narcotics Control Bureau, will help the BRICS nations tackle drug abuse more effectively. In a post on X on Sunday, he said, “Assam looks forward to hosting this important meeting and welcomes all participating delegates.” “India is making excellent progress towards a drug-free society, and tomorrow’s deliberations will help to deepen coordination amongst BRICS members in tackling this menace,” Sarma added.

Officials said the global drug trafficking landscape has seen a profound change, with the proliferation of synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, darknet-enabled trafficking and cryptocurrency-based financial flows posing complex transnational challenges. The two-day meeting will focus on three priority areas — combating synthetic drugs and precursor diversion, strengthening intelligence sharing and operational coordination, and capacity building and institutional cooperation.

The BRICS, initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, with Indonesia joining in 2025. It has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade.