Sat Sep 20 20:50:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text and a rewrite as a news article, focusing on the Indian perspective where possible:
**Summary:**
The article details the inclusion of India on the U.S. “Major’s List” of countries identified as significant sources or transit points for illicit drugs, specifically fentanyl. It explains the dangers of fentanyl, its production process using precursor chemicals (some originating from India and China), and the U.S. response, including sanctions, arrests, and domestic efforts to combat the opioid crisis. The article highlights the international supply chain, implicating Indian companies in the export of fentanyl precursors. It notes U.S. actions against these companies and individuals, including arrests, visa revocations, and tariffs.
**News Article:**
**Indian Firms Under Scrutiny as U.S. Tackles Fentanyl Crisis**
**New Delhi, September 21, 2025** – India has been named on the U.S. “Major’s List” of countries playing a significant role in the illicit drug trade, specifically concerning the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, raising concerns and prompting increased scrutiny of Indian pharmaceutical and chemical companies.
The U.S. decision, announced by President Trump and delivered to the U.S. Congress, highlights India’s role, along with China, in the production and distribution of fentanyl precursor chemicals. These chemicals are essential components in the illicit manufacturing of fentanyl, a drug blamed for tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the United States.
Fentanyl, originally developed for medical use, is now widely produced illegally. The drug is estimated to be 50 times more potent than heroin. Small amounts can be fatal, making it highly dangerous and contributing to the ongoing opioid crisis in America.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that it seized enough fentanyl-laced pills and powdered fentanyl to kill the entire U.S. population.
The precursors, including N-phenethyl-4-piperidone (NPP) and 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (4-ANPP), are converted to fentanyl using organic chemistry. The drug is pressed into counterfeit pills or mixed with other narcotics and smuggled into the U.S. through the Mexican border.
The inclusion of India on the “Major’s List” follows U.S. action against two Indian companies, Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals, charged in January 2025 with conspiring to export fentanyl precursors to the U.S. and Mexico. Bhavesh Lathiya, a senior executive at Raxuter Chemicals, was arrested in New York on smuggling charges. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has also revoked and denied visas for some business executives and families involved in the precursor trade.
The U.S. has imposed tariffs of 25% on Canadian and Mexican imports and an additional 10% on Chinese imports, citing fentanyl trafficking as a reason for the increase. The tariffs on Canada and Mexico were suspended once those governments agreed to strenghten border enforcement.
The Indian government has yet to issue a formal response to being named on the “Major’s List.” However, the U.S. actions are likely to increase pressure on Indian authorities to strengthen oversight of the chemical industry and prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals into illegal channels. The government has been pressured to increase the monitoring of precursor chemicals leaving Indian borders.
While the U.S. State Department has clarified that inclusion on the list doesn’t necessarily reflect a country’s counter-narcotics efforts, it is likely to impact the Indo-U.S. relationship, particularly regarding trade and diplomatic cooperation. The US Embassy in India has denied visas for several Indian executives involved in the manufacture of precursor chemicals.
This development will also likely fuel debate within India about the ethics and oversight of its rapidly growing pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The country is expected to ramp up the training of customs officials.
First Piper 