The United States has revoked and denied visas to a group of Indian business executives accused of involvement in the trade of fentanyl precursors, escalating tensions with New Delhi at a delicate moment in their relationship.
In a statement on Thursday, the US Embassy in New Delhi declined to identify the executives but said the action was part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to confront the flow of synthetic narcotics into the country. “In furtherance of the Trump Administration’s efforts to keep Americans safe from dangerous synthetic narcotics, the US Embassy in New Delhi has revoked and subsequently denied visas for certain business executives and corporate leadership based on involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors,” it said.
Fentanyl precursors are chemical ingredients that fuel the production of one of the deadliest synthetic opioids. Last year alone, US health officials recorded more than 80,000 overdose deaths linked to fentanyl.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of sharp disagreements between Washington and New Delhi, from Trump’s imposition of 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports to disputes over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Yet the two governments have also sought to manage their frictions. Trump recently spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hailing him as a “friend” in a public message and thanking India for its support on resolving the Russia-Ukraine war.
Even as the embassy announced the visa action, the Trump administration notified Congress that it considers India one of 23 major drug transit or production countries. At the same time, US officials emphasized cooperation with New Delhi, noting, “Only by working together will our two governments address this transnational threat and keep both our people safe from illicit drugs.”
Trump has intensified his war on drugs in recent weeks, even authorizing strikes on suspected narcotics vessels near Venezuela.
