US names India, China, Pakistan among drug transit, illicit drug-producing nations for FY27

The US named included India, China and Pakistan in its list of “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries” for fiscal year 2027, while separately identifying Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Colombia as countries that failed demonstrably to meet their international counternarcotics obligations.

The presidential determination, submitted to Congress, covers 23 countries and clarified that inclusion on the list does not necessarily reflect a government’s current counternarcotics efforts or its cooperation with the US.

Countries are included based on geographic, commercial and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be produced or transported through their territory.


Also read: 100% tariff danger for India nears as Russia Sanctions Bill advances in US House amid surprise vote twist

India on US major drug transit, production list

India was named among the 23 countries named in the FY2027 determination.

The United States welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government’s efforts to tackle illicit opium poppy cultivation and strengthen supply-chain integrity. Washington also said it looks forward to continued cooperation with India through the US-India Drug Policy Framework.

India's inclusion on the list is therefore accompanied by a specific acknowledgement of ongoing cooperation on counternarcotics issues.

China flagged over precursor chemicals

China is also mentioned in the FY2027 list, with the determination highlighting its role in the production of precursor chemicals used in illicit synthetic drugs.

The US said China remains the world’s largest producer of many precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. It said Beijing needs to take more aggressive action, including scheduling additional chemical precursors and substances sought by the US.

Pakistan among 23 countries

Pakistan has also been identified as a major drug transit or illicit drug-producing country for FY2027.

However, it is not among the four countries the US has separately designated as having “failed demonstrably” during the previous 12 months to make substantial counternarcotics efforts.

The four countries receiving that designation are Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Colombia. The US also determined that assistance to Bolivia, Burma and Colombia is currently vital to its national interests.

What the US drug designation means

The US determination explicitly says that appearing on the major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries list does not necessarily indicate that a government is failing to combat drug trafficking.

Under the determination, countries can be included because geographic, commercial and economic conditions facilitate the transit or production of drugs or precursor chemicals, even where governments have undertaken “robust and diligent” narcotics-control and law-enforcement measures.

23 countries on FY2027 list

The countries named in the determination include Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Separately, the US designated Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Colombia as having failed demonstrably to meet their counternarcotics obligations over the previous 12 months.