Narco trafficking has been a nuisance for nations for centuries. Countries around the world introduced stringent measures to uproot this menace but, as they say, drug trafficking never dies; it moves, changes and adapts. The situation is further exacerbated when the defenders of the nation themselves become complicit in the drug smuggling activities. This collusion not only undermines the integrity of law enforcement and national security apparatuses but also augments the challenges faced in combating this problem.
Strong evidence cropped up, recently, regarding the involvement of Indian Army officers in the illicit drug trade. As per the reports, various officers of the Indian army were arrested due to their involvement in the business of drug smuggling between the years 2017-2021. The Indian officers have been running this business by working with the local drug cartels and using military resources to transport the drugs near the LOC. As much as the involvement of military officers sabotages the efforts of anti-drug campaigns, it also erodes public trust in its institutions. The surfacing of multiple cases over an extensive period of 4 years suggests that the issue is rather systemic, with its roots running deep within different segments of the Indian Army.
The complicity of the personnel of the Indian national security institution and the use of military resources for drug trafficking is a direct violation of those treaties and undermines their purpose.
This is not the first time that the shady practices of Indian security institutions have made the headlines. Earlier, the serving commander of the Indian Naval institution, Kulbhushan Yadav, who was working in tandem with the terrorist outfits, was arrested from Balochistan. A few months back, Canada, the US, and Australia lambasted India for audaciously committing extra-territorial killings on their soil. This series of incidents not only suggests that India has a history of misconduct but also raises concerns about the potential nexus of the Indian Army with drug dealers and terrorist groups. The narco-terror nexus is a reality of modern times, with both groups facilitating each other despite having different ideologies and operational motives. This is another dimension of hybrid warfare where countries use their proxies to further their agenda resultantly, posing a serious threat to regional peace and undermining the concerted efforts of the world community for a drug-free region.
It is worth noting that India is a signatory to the United Nations Conventions on drugs and narcotics. However, the complicity of the personnel of the Indian national security institution and the use of military resources for drug trafficking is a direct violation of those treaties and undermines their purpose. Unfortunately, due to India’s diplomatic and economic clout, the world has turned a blind eye towards violations of International laws and treaties thus, granting it complete impunity. The international community must understand that only by stayingunbiased can it effectively combat this global issue.
The writer is a freelance columnist.