India and the US have agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing, joint enforcement and pharmaceutical supply chain security to combat drug trafficking. The partnership will target synthetic narcotics, illegal chemical diversion and international trafficking networks through coordinated operations.

Washington: India and the United States are strengthening cooperation to track drug-trafficking networks and prevent chemicals used to manufacture synthetic narcotics from entering illegal supply chains, the White House said in a readout of bilateral talks.

Officials identified closer intelligence sharing, coordinated law enforcement operations and safeguards for pharmaceutical supply chains as priorities at the second India-US Drug Policy Executive Working Group meeting, held in New Delhi on November 2-3.

The statement, issued by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), said both governments also discussed emerging trafficking threats and measures to reduce drug demand.

India's delegation was led by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General Anurag Garg. Debbie Seguin, acting deputy director of ONDCP, headed the American team.