India, Nov. 6 -- When a dhow packed with narcotics is intercepted in the Arabian Sea, there's usually one difference between the Indian and Pakistani responses. In India, the operation ends with arrests, paperwork, and a courtroom. In Pakistan, it ends with a public relations fanfare without evidence.

Since 2011, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have quietly built a record of maritime drug interdictions that is now unmatched in the region. From the INS Suvarna bust in 2021 to INS Tarkash's two-tonne seizure in April 2025, every operation follows the same template: credible intelligence, coordinated pursuit, full custody, and transparent prosecution. The agencies involved-Navy, Coast Guard, NCB, DRI, and the Narcotics Control Bureau-treat ...