US Intel Report Identifies China And India As Major Suppliers Of Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

A newly released United States (US) intelligence assessment has identified India and China as major suppliers of precursor chemicals and equipment used in the production of illicit fentanyl—a synthetic opioid fueling America’s ongoing drug crisis, reported The Hindu.

The ‘2025 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA)’, published on 25 March, underscores the growing role state actors in providing materials to non-state actors, while also highlighting threats from transnational criminal organisations and extremist networks.

Fentanyl, a highly potent opioid, has been responsible for over 52,000 deaths in the US during a 12-month period ending in October 2024, making it the most lethal drug in the country. 

While Mexico-based cartels—including the Sinaloa Cartel and New Generation Jalisco Cartel—remain dominant suppliers of fentanyl to the US, the report states that non-state groups receive direct and indirect support from state actors, particularly China and India, for raw materials and manufacturing equipment.

“China remains the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment, followed by India,” the report noted, adding that Mexico-based trafficking organizations rely on these materials to synthesise and distribute fentanyl across the US.

The findings come just days after a Hyderabad-based chemical company and three of its senior employees were charged in a federal court in Washington, DC, for allegedly illegally supplying precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. 

The US has been ramping up efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking, with the Trump administration linking the illegal import of fentanyl-related substances to potential tariff adjustments for certain countries, signaling economic consequences for nations failing to regulate this chemical exports.

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