BIMSTEC Home Ministers meet in New Delhi to combat narcotics trade

The first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting was held in New Delhi on October 13, 2026, to address transnational drug trafficking and strengthen regional security. Chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, the meeting resulted in the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, which focuses on enhancing intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement to dismantle narcotics syndicates.

The initiative aims to create a regional compact that makes the narcotics trade increasingly difficult and unprofitable by closing jurisdictional gaps that traffickers exploit. This regional effort is intended to complement India’s National Drug Control Vision for 2026-2029. The strategy emphasizes a distinction between drug users, who require rehabilitation, and the organized criminal syndicates and financiers who must face strict legal consequences.