US President Donald Trump has identified 23 countries, including India, Pakistan and Myanmar, as major drug transit or illicit drug producing nations in his latest annual designation submitted to Congress.

The list, titled Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2026, was sent to the US Congress on 15 September, according to a statement issued by the Department of State.

Other countries named include Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

The Department of State clarified that a country’s inclusion does not necessarily reflect the government’s counter-narcotics efforts or level of cooperation with the US. “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,” the statement read.

However, Trump specifically designated Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar, Colombia and Venezuela as having “failed demonstrably” to meet their international counter-narcotics obligations over the past year.

The US President also urged Chinese authorities to step up sustained action against synthetic narcotics such as nitazenes and methamphetamine, and to prosecute related criminal networks.

The State Department further noted that trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit synthetic drugs by transnational criminal organisations has created a public health emergency in the United States. These substances remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44.

BOB Post