Former White House drug policy director Rahul Gupta has called on India and China to jointly confront the escalating global synthetic drug crisis, warning that fentanyl trafficking networks could become 'the defining problem of the future for humanity.' Gupta, who served as Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under the Biden administration, made the remarks in an exclusive interview in Washington on 11 June.

The Case for India-China Cooperation

'No country is immune from the global synthetic threat,' Gupta said. 'Every third person walking the earth is either an Indian or a Chinese. So it's important for those two countries to work together on this particular problem, which may become the defining problem of the future for humanity.'

Gupta argued that the sheer demographic weight of the two nations — together accounting for roughly a third of the world's population — makes their coordinated response indispensable to any credible global counter-narcotics strategy.

What Has Driven Progress in the US

Gupta credited two key developments for the recent decline in overdose deaths in the United States. First, a measurable drop in the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China to Mexico since approximately 2023. Second, a significant expansion of treatment, naloxone access, and telehealth-based overdose-prevention programmes.

'These things combined have been very significant in saving tens of thousands of American lives for the last two to three years,' he said. However, he cautioned that this momentum may be losing pace. 'The drop in numbers is beginning to flatten... the steep declines are no longer steep,' Gupta noted, urging authorities to 'double and triple down' on current efforts.

US-China Engagement and Continued Pressure

Gupta welcomed the diplomatic engagement between Washington and Beijing on fentanyl, pointing to President Donald Trump's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as evidence that the issue remains a US foreign-policy priority. 'It is important to continue that pressure on the People's Republic of China because the relationship is important, but it's also important as we seek results, and the results are gonna be measured in American lives,' he said.

India's Role and the Punjab Challenge

On India specifically, Gupta said the country has shown willingness to act, while flagging that its large chemical industry carries inherent risks of exploitation by illicit drug supply networks. He cited a recent visit to Punjab — a state with a well-documented history of drug abuse — where he met with the state's health minister and director of health, describing them as 'very forward-leaning to address this issue.'

Gupta stressed that coordination between India's central government and state administrations would be critical, and noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised drug-related concerns at international forums. He said prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts must advance together rather than in isolation.

The Broader Global Stakes

Synthetic opioids — primarily fentanyl — have been responsible for a disproportionate share of overdose deaths in the US in recent years, driving successive administrations to pursue interlocking strategies combining law enforcement, public health investment, and international diplomacy. Gupta's call for India-China collaboration signals a growing recognition that the crisis can no longer be managed as a bilateral US-China issue alone — it demands a multilateral response anchored in the world's two most populous nations.