A recent threat assessment report published by the United States has named India and China as “sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers” and the “primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment.”
The ‘2025 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA)’, released on Tuesday, is the Intelligence Community’s (IC) official, coordinated evaluation of an array of threats to US citizens, the homeland, and US interests in the world.
This is the first time when Washington has placed New Delhi on the same level as Beijing in connection with the supply of precursor chemicals used by drug cartels to manufacture opioids like fentanyl.
The report has listed a complete range of threats to US citizens and the country’s interests in the world.
Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids remain the most lethal drugs trafficked into the United States, causing more than 52,000 US deaths in a 12-month period ending in October 2024, it said.
The fentanyl crisis
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than heroin or morphine. This extreme potency makes it incredibly dangerous, as even tiny amounts can lead to a fatal overdose.
The United States is experiencing a devastating opioid crisis, with fentanyl being a primary driver of overdose deaths. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, sometimes without the user’s knowledge, which greatly increases the risk of accidental overdose.
The surge in fentanyl-related deaths has created a major public health crisis in the US. The drug’s addictive properties and the high risk of overdose have led to widespread devastation in communities across the country.
India’s role in precursor chemicals
The report has flagged India as a primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals. These precursor chemicals are essential ingredients used in the manufacturing of fentanyl.
The concern is that these chemicals are being diverted from legitimate pharmaceutical or industrial uses and then trafficked to criminal organizations that produce fentanyl.
The US is working to strengthen its partnerships with countries like India to combat the flow of these chemicals.
Last week, an India-based chemical manufacturing company and three of its high-level employees were charged in a federal court in Washington DC in a case related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl. Federal agents also arrested two of the top ranking employees of a Hyderabad-based company in New York City on Thursday.
