Trump lauds India's crackdown on poppy farming; lists 23 major drug transit nations

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to curb illicit poppy cultivation even as he identified India, China and Pakistan among 23 major drug transit and illicit drug producing countries and urged their respective leaders to address the issue.

In a Presidential Determination to the U.S. Congress, Mr. Trump said he looks forward to continued cooperation through the United States-India Drug Policy Framework.

“I welcome Prime Minister Modi and the Government of India’s efforts to address illicit opium poppy cultivation and bolster supply chain integrity," he said in the official directive that was made public on Wednesday (September 16, 2026).

Mr. Trump also made it clear that appearing on the list of major drug transit and illicit drug producing countries was not necessarily a reflection of the respective government’s current counterdrug efforts, or coordination with the U.S.