The major drug laws of India are the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985) and the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1988).

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Bill, 1985 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 23 August 1985. It was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and it was assented by the President on 16 September 1985. It came into force on 14 November 1985 as THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985 (shortened to NDPS Act). Under the NDPS Act, it is illegal for a person to produce/manufacture/cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.

Under one of the provisions of the act, the Narcotics Control Bureau was set up with effect from March 1986. The Act is designed to fulfill India's treaty obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

India (ⁱ/ˈɪndiə/), officially the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the south-west, and the Bay of Bengal on the south-east, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west;China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Burma and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; in addition, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four of the world's major religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—originated here, whereas Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the British East India Company from the early 18th century and administered directly by the United Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi.

A drug policy most often refers to a government's attempt to combat the negative effects of drug addiction and misuse in its society. Governments try to combat drug addiction with policies which address both the demand and supply of drugs, as well as policies which can mitigate the harms of drug abuse. Demand reduction measures include prohibition, fines for drug offenses, incarceration for persons convicted for drug offenses, treatment (such as voluntary rehabilitation or coercive care for drug abusers), awareness campaigns, community social services, and support for families. Supply side reduction involves measures such as enacting foreign policy aimed at eradicating the international cultivation of plants used to make drugs and interception of drug trafficking. Policies which may help mitigate the effects of drug abuse include needle exchange and drug substitution programs, as well as free facilities for testing a drug's purity.

There is a movement in Australia to make some substances decriminalised, particularly cannabis, making the possession of such a non-convictable offence in most states (however, the definition of what constitutes possession can differ between states). As a result of the decriminalisation, the punishments for drug use and drug dealing in Australia are typically very small, with many convicted small-time drug dealers not having to spend any time in jail^{[citation needed]} .

Vinita Gupta (born 1950) is an Indian-born American businesswoman. She is the founder and chairman of Digital Link Corporation (now Quick Eagle Networks). She is credited with being the first woman of Indian origin to take her company public in the United States.

Gupta was born in 1950 in India and spent her early years in Delhi. In 1973 she earned a bachelor's degree in electronics and communications from the University of Roorkee (now Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee). In 1974 she came to the United States and earned an M.S. in electrical engineering from University of California Los Angeles.

In her early career, Gupta worked as an engineer for GTE Lenkurt and later held engineering management positions at Bell Northern Research (now part of Nortel Networks).

In May 1985 Gupta founded Digital Link Corporation, a company which engaged in the design, manufacture, marketing, and support of digital wide-area network access products for global networks. The company went public in 1994 and was later renamed as Quick Eagle Networks. Gupta still serves as chairman, chief executive officer and president.

Govind Padmasoorya is an actor in Malayalam cinema.

Govind Padmasoorya made his debut in Malayalam cinema as the protagonist in Atayalangal, directed by M. G. Sasi and produced by Aravind Venugopal. The film was based on the life and literature of the writer Nandanar. The film won five Kerala State Film Award including Best Film . Next, Padmasoorya portrayed the role of Vinu, the brother of the IG (Suresh Gopi) in B. Unnikrishnan's IG, who transforms from a loving brother to a ruthless terrorist towards the end of the movie. He was also cast as Sreekanth, an Indian cricketer, in Daddy Cool (2009 Malayalam film). Another of his noted appearances was in T. V. Chandran's Bhoomi Malayalam. His latest film College Days released in November 2010 under the reputed banner of Seven Arts International.