In a statement released on Thursday, the US embassy in New Delhi announced it has rescinded and denied visas for certain Indian business executives and corporate leaders. This action was taken due to their involvement in trafficking precursors for fentanyl, a substance responsible for a significant number of overdose fatalities in the United States.
While the embassy’s statement did not identify the individuals affected, a spokesperson confirmed they are Indian nationals. The US embassy also noted that Indian government officials have been working closely with their American counterparts to counter the issue of drug trafficking. India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment regarding the US visa actions.
President Donald Trump, who previously imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports that strained bilateral relations, had also levied additional taxes on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada, asserting that these countries facilitated the flow of fentanyl into the US. In a recent statement to the US Congress, Trump included India on a list of 23 major drug transit or illicit drug-producing nations, though he clarified that a country’s presence on the list does not necessarily reflect on its government’s anti-drug efforts.
