No Visas For Indian Businesspersons, Family With Drug Trafficking Links: US
The US has revoked the visas of Indian businesspersons and their family members, and denied subsequent re-applications, based on their involvement in trafficking 'precursors' of fentanyl, the synthetic opiod behind a drugs crisis in that country.
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New Delhi:
The United States has canceled visas belonging to Indian business executives and their relatives, while rejecting new applications, due to their connections with trafficking fentanyl precursors, according to a statement released Thursday by the American embassy in Delhi. The synthetic opioid is at the center of a major drug crisis in the US.
Without identifying specific individuals, the embassy clarified that this visa cancellation policy makes these persons and their immediate family members "ineligible for travel to the United States." The statement added that executive leadership of companies known to be involved in fentanyl precursor trafficking will be flagged during the visa application process.
"The US Delhi remains committed to its fight against drug trafficking. Those individuals and organizations involved in illegal production and trafficking of drugs to the United States will face consequences along with their families, which may include being denied entry to the US," the embassy stated.
The embassy expressed appreciation for "the close cooperation of counterparts in the Government of India in addressing this shared challenge." It emphasized that "only through collaborative efforts between our governments can we effectively combat this transnational threat and protect our citizens from illicit drugs."
Stopping the flow of fentanyl and its precursors into the United States is one of our highest priorities. We have revoked visas for company executives and family for the unlawful involvement in controlled substance trafficking, including fentanyl. Those who facilitate the flow of… pic.twitter.com/atWupz7WLG
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) September 18, 2025
Fentanyl, a mass-produced synthetic drug, is 50 times more potent than heroin.
US officials in February described it as "the leading cause of death among people aged 18 to 45," and pointed to China as "the main source for all fentanyl-related substances" entering the United States.
On February 1, US President Donald Trump implemented a 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports and a 25 percent tax on Mexican and Canadian goods, demanding they reduce fentanyl trafficking into the US.
These tariffs were increased in August amid an escalating trade dispute between China and the United States.
Originally approved for medical use in the 1960s as a pain medication, fentanyl has since become a primary cause of opioid-related fatalities in the US, with over 48,000 deaths reported in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The drug is extremely dangerous as a dose of just two milligrams can be lethal.
With input from agencies
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