Syllabus: GS-III & V: Border Management

Why in the news?

Recent data from enforcement agencies shows a sharp rise in heroin and opium seizures in Northeast India, closely linked to a surge in opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar.

• Reports such as the Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 and investigations by Indian agencies indicate that the Northeast has become a key transit and consumption zone for narcotics originating across the eastern border.

Rising seizures: what the data shows

• Heroin seizures by the Narcotics Control Bureau in the Northeast rose from 7 kilograms in 2023 to 9 kilograms in 2024, and then jumped to 31 kilograms in 2025.
• Of this, 17 kilograms were seized in Assam alone, highlighting the State’s growing vulnerability.
• Data from Assam Police paints an even grimmer picture:
  • 164 kilograms of heroin and 162 kilograms of opium were seized in 2023.
  • Heroin seizures increased further to 174 kilograms in 2024.
• Other agencies such as the Assam Rifles, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Railway Police and Manipur Police have also reported frequent recoveries.

Myanmar: the source of the surge

• According to the Myanmar Opium Survey 2025, opium poppy cultivation increased by 17 % in one year, from 45,200 hectares in 2024 to 53,100 hectares in 2025.
• This marks a ten-year high and confirms a steady upward trend since 2020.
• For the first time, significant cultivation has been recorded in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, which borders Northeast India and is heavily affected by conflict after the 2021 military takeover.
• Myanmar has now emerged as the world’s largest source of illicit opium, following a near 95 % collapse in production in Afghanistan after a Taliban ban in 2023.

Golden Crescent, Golden Triangle, and the Northeast

• Traditionally, the world’s illicit opium supply was dominated by the Golden Crescent, comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.
• The Taliban’s ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan in 2023 led to a near 95 % collapse in opium production in the Golden Crescent.
• This sudden decline created a global supply vacuum, which has increasingly been filled by the Golden Triangle, particularly Myanmar.
  • Golden Triangle is a drug-producing region spanning Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
• As trafficking routes shifted eastward, Northeast India emerged as a key transit corridor, connecting Myanmar’s drug-producing zones to mainland India and international markets.

Why the Northeast is particularly vulnerable

• The Northeast shares long, porous, forested borders with Myanmar, making surveillance difficult.
• Drug consignments are often trafficked through forest corridors in Manipur before entering Assam, Tripura and other states.
• Ongoing ethnic conflict and economic collapse in Myanmar have made opium cultivation a critical livelihood, with farmers earning an estimated 300–487 million US dollars annually, as per United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
• In addition to heroin, Myanmar is also a major hub for synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and ketamine, compounding the crisis.

Security, social and health implications

• Narcotics trafficking fuels organised crime networks, corruption and money laundering.
• Rising drug availability has serious public health consequences, including addiction among youth in border states.
• Drug money often intersects with insurgency and armed groups, posing a direct threat to internal security.
• The problem also strains policing and judicial systems, which must handle both trafficking and rehabilitation.

Legal and policy framework in India

• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 provides the legal backbone for enforcement.
• The Narcotics Control Bureau coordinates inter-state and international intelligence.
• Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: A flagship campaign by the Ministry of Social Justice to reduce drug demand through community awareness and rehabilitation.
• Modernization of Border Guarding: Empowering the Assam Rifles and Border Security Force (BSF) with drones and thermal imaging to monitor transit routes.
• However, enforcement alone is insufficient without border management, international cooperation and demand reduction.

Way forward

• Strengthen border surveillance using technology, drones and coordinated patrolling in forested terrain.
• Enhance intelligence sharing among central agencies, state police and neighbouring countries.
• Deepen cooperation with Myanmar and regional partners, despite political challenges.
• Focus on de-addiction, rehabilitation and livelihood alternatives in affected regions of the Northeast.
• Address narcotics not only as a crime issue, but also as a development and public health challenge.

Key terms explained 

• Golden Crescent: Major historical opium-producing region covering Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
• Golden Triangle: Drug-producing region spanning Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
• Opium poppy: Plant from which opium is derived, the base for heroin.
• Heroin: A highly addictive opioid processed from opium.
• Synthetic drugs: Laboratory-made drugs like methamphetamine, not plant-based.
• Porous border: Border with difficult terrain and limited physical barriers.
• Organised crime: Structured groups engaged in illegal activities for profit.

Conclusion

• The rising flow of narcotics into Northeast India reflects regional instability beyond India’s borders, particularly in Myanmar.
• While seizures indicate effective enforcement, they also signal a deepening challenge that cannot be solved by policing alone.
• A balanced strategy combining security, diplomacy, development and public health is essential to protect the Northeast.

Exam Hook

Key Takeaways:

• Myanmar’s opium surge has direct spillover effects on India’s internal security.
• Northeast India sits at the crossroads of regional drug trafficking networks.

Mains Question:
“Discuss how developments in Myanmar have intensified the narcotics problem in Northeast India. Suggest a comprehensive strategy to address this challenge.”

One-line wrap

The growing narcotics flow into Northeast India shows how regional instability, porous borders and organised crime combine to create a complex internal security challenge for the country.

SOURCE