Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday released the government’s vision document on drug control (2026-2029) and the Narcotics Control Bureau’s annual report for 2025, while unveiling a three-year national roadmap to dismantle drug trafficking networks, saying the Center will target the entire drug ecosystem so decisively that it “will not be able to recover for decades”.
The plan, which involves more than 40 ministries and departments, aims to target the entire drug ecosystem through coordinated implementation, intelligence, prevention and rehabilitation. Shah also said that the Center is reviewing loopholes in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and reconsidering the scheduling of precursor chemicals and psychotropic substances used in drug manufacturing.
Shah, who chaired the 10th summit-level meeting of the Coordination Center on Narcotics Control (NCORD), said the government has set a target to make India drug-free by 2047, and termed the next three years as “crucial”.
He said the roadmap is built on four pillars – implementation, intelligence and operations; control of precursors and synthetic drugs; demand reduction and rehabilitation; Capacity building and coordination.
“Today our country stands at a critical turning point in the war against drugs, where the next three years will decide whether the drug trade will defeat us or we will defeat it,” Shah said. “For the future of the country, we must win this battle… Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will hit the entire drug trade ecosystem so decisively over the next three years that it will not be able to recover for decades.”
He added: “Our goal is to carry out intelligence work directed against the entire network and completely destroy it. We have to adopt a strategy to stop drugs at the production stage itself.”
The centre’s strategy shifts focus from arresting individual couriers to dismantling entire trafficking networks. It aims to eliminate 100 major interstate and transnational drug cartels by tracing financial paths and linking illicit assets.
The plan also focuses on reducing synthetic drugs, reviewing the list of chemicals and substances used in the manufacture of illicit drugs, strengthening border control through artificial intelligence-enabled systems and anti-drone technology, tightening inspections on diversion of pharmaceutical drugs, expanding anti-addiction and rehabilitation services, and engaging more than 40 ministries, state governments, educational institutions and civil society in a nationwide anti-drug campaign, according to the interior minister.
It also calls for a national campaign against methamphetamine and mephedrone, including action against illegal labs.
Shah said the Revenue Department is working to plug loopholes in the NDPS Act exploited by drug gangs and has sought suggestions from states. He also said state governments should make financial investigations mandatory in all major NDPS cases and strengthen anti-drug task forces.
“Our fight has been laid out very clearly under four pillars, and the sub-pillars under each pillar have been clearly defined,” he said. “Goals for each sub-pillar have been defined along with timelines for achieving them. We will review this plan after one year, redefine it as needed, and then move forward with renewed vigor during the final two years of this fight.”
The Interior Minister also asked each state to establish a dedicated unit in the Office of the Director General of Police to coordinate with the Center in tracking and returning fugitives working in drug gangs from abroad.
“I also urge all state governments to target drug dealers and gangsters from your states who are hiding abroad by issuing red corner notices, and use the CBI and other agencies to initiate the process of bringing them back. There should be a separate mechanism in each DG office within the state tasked with identifying and returning these fugitives who are running gangs from abroad,” Shah said.
He added that while the campaign aims to destroy trafficking networks through intelligence-led law enforcement, reducing demand will require public awareness, education and rehabilitation.
“The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment must expand the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign, public awareness campaigns, community engagement, treatment and rehabilitation services. Only then can we successfully reduce the demand. We must deal with the affected youth with a compassionate approach. The Ministry of Health must ensure strict monitoring of diversion of medicines and online pharmacies. Under the Ministry of Education, the departments of school education and higher education must adopt the drug-free campus framework. Along with this, we must ensure awareness among parents and teachers by taking this concept forward,” Shah said. “By everyone’s consensus.”
Operations control mission
