India Hosts BRICS Anti-Drugs Meeting in Guwahati

India is hosting the two-day BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting in Guwahati, Assam, on 6-7 July 2026. The meeting is organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau under the Union Home Ministry and brings together anti-drug agencies from the expanded BRICS grouping.

BRICS and its expanded membership

BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping that originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The expanded BRICS grouping includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Anti-drug agencies and cooperation framework

The BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting is a platform for cooperation among national drug-control institutions. The agenda includes intelligence sharing, operational coordination, capacity building and institutional cooperation among member states.

Drug trafficking challenges in focus

The meeting covers synthetic drugs, darknet-enabled trafficking, new psychoactive substances and cryptocurrency-based financial flows. These subjects are linked to transnational narcotics networks and digital methods used in illicit trade.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Narcotics Control Bureau is the nodal drug law enforcement agency under the Union Home Ministry in India.
• Guwahati is the largest city in Assam and a major administrative centre in north-eastern India.
• New psychoactive substances are synthetic compounds designed to mimic the effects of controlled drugs.
• The darknet is a part of the internet that uses special software and access protocols for anonymous communication.

India’s narcotics control framework

India will present its Vision Document on Narcotics Control for 2026-2029 at the meeting. The document is part of India’s anti-drug policy framework for the period 2026 to 2029.

Expected outcome

The meeting is expected to adopt a joint declaration on cooperation against drug trafficking. BRICS meetings on narcotics control are held to coordinate responses to cross-border drug crime and related financial networks.