Donald Trump names India among major illicit drug producing, transit nations

United States President Donald Trump has named India, Pakistan and China among 23 major drug transit or major illicit drug producing nations, saying that the countries were threatening the safety of the US and its citizens.

In a presidential determination submitted to the US Parliament on Monday, Trump said that he had identified the 23 countries as “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing” nations. This designates the countries as responsible for sourcing and transporting illicit drugs into the United States.

The document submitted to the US Congress did not give details of why Washington included India in the list.

The other nations on the list are Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

A country’s presence on the list does not necessarily reflect its government’s counterdrug efforts or the level of cooperation with the US, the state department quoted Trump as saying.

“The reason countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographic, commercial and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be transited or produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control and law enforcement measures,” it added.

However, five countries — Afghanistan,...

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