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Home / IAS Preparation / Golden Triangle

Golden Triangle - Know the History, Impact of the Golden Triangle on India, Golden Crescent, and More!

Last Updated on Jan 10, 2024
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The Golden Triangle is the second-largest opium production region in the world. It covers the areas of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, which meet at the confluence of the Mekong River and Ruak River. Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle are regarded as one of the largest producers of opium in the world. The phrase Golden Triangle was coined by the USA’s intelligence agency, CIA(Central Intelligence Agency).

The topics related to specific locations around India and its neighborhood are important for the UPSC exam under the Internal Security and International Relations syllabus. Time and again, factual and map-based questions have been asked about these topics. This article on Golden Triangle will help you to prepare for the Prelims and Mains stage of the UPSC IAS/IPS exam.

This article on testbook will discuss in a detailed way about the Golden Triangle and its Historical Background, the Region Comprising Golden Triangle, Issues, and India’s Security concerns associated with the Golden Triangle. We will also learn about the Golden Crescent and the Region Comprising the Golden Crescent along with the Golden Triangle.

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Check out the syllabus, weightage, and preparation strategy of International Relations (IR) for the UPSC IAS exam.

What is the Golden Triangle?

The Golden Triangle is a region in Southeast Asia where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers. This region is known for its high production of opium, which is used to make heroin. The Golden Triangle is one of the world's two largest opium-producing regions, along with the Golden Crescent in Afghanistan.

Origin of the Golden Triangle

  • The Golden Triangle emerged as the largest producer of opium and drug trafficking after World War II(1939-45) when the Chinese Communist Party(CCP) gained power in mainland China.
  • Prior to the existence of the Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent, China accounted for the majority of the world’s opium production and trade. Due to the Treaty of Tientsin-1858, signed between the Qing dynasty of China and the Britishers after the Second Opium War(1856), the opium trade was legalized in China.
  • After World War II, the Chinese Communist Party severely cracked down heavily on drug traffickers and consumers by putting the consumers forcefully into rehab, having drug traffickers arrested and executed, and opium-producing regions either burnt or planted with new crops.
  • As a result, the remaining opium traffickers were driven by these actions to relocate their businesses south of the Chinese border into the Golden Triangle.
  • The Kuomintang (KMT), a US-supported anti-communist resistance group, now operates in the Golden Triangle. KMT also forced the local villagers of the region to become its recruits in exchange for food and money.

Region Comprising Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle comprises the region of the South of China and comprises three contiguous countries, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, from East to West. Golden Triangle refers to an area of approximately 9,50,000 square kilometers in these three countries. This Golden Triangle lies towards the northeast border of India.

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Impact of Golden Triangle on India
  • The Golden Triangle is a major source of heroin and other illegal drugs that are trafficked to India.
  • Drug trafficking has many negative consequences for India's security. This includes increased crime and violence, funding for insurgency, and health and social problems.
  • Drug trafficking can also divert resources away from productive activities. It can reduce productivity and increase healthcare costs.
  • The Golden Triangle is also a major source of environmental degradation. This is due to deforestation and opium cultivation.

Learn about Drug Abuse for your UPSC exam.

What is the Golden Crescent?
  • The Golden Crescent is the illegal drug superhighway between Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, which is located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia. It emerged as a modern-day opium-producing entity and drug trafficking route in the 1950s.
  • The Golden Crescent operates primarily through two routes –
    • The Northern route – Through this route of the Golden Crescent, opium and heroin are trafficked to Russia by way of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
    • The Southern route – Through this route of the Golden Crescent, heroin travels from Afghanistan through Pakistan and Iran by sea to South Asia, Africa, and the Oceania region.
  • The Golden Crescent has produced more than 8000 tonnes out of the world’s total 9000 tonnes of opium produced globally in 2007, practically giving it a monopoly.

Region Comprising Golden Crescent

The Golden Crescent Comprises the mountainous peripheries of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The Golden Crescent region lies in the proximity of the Indian border states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

Read more about the Afghanistan Crisis!

India’s security concerns related to the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent

The various issues associated with the Golden Triangle are discussed below –

  • Challenges in the Northeast – Since India and Myanmar share friendly relations and are not involved in any such border dispute. Therefore, there is no strict fencing of the border area. This framework is misused by criminal gangs and drug traffickers. Children are forcefully used as drug carriers with the promise of a better livelihood. Hence, It is evolving into a center for drug trafficking, posing a threat to our internal security.
  • Environmental Damage – The environment is damaged due to river contamination, which is caused by illegal drug cultivation in the area of the Golden Triangle. The resulting toxic chemical waste of the cultivation is covertly discharged into the nearby rivers. Pollution of rivers like the Kaladan that connect Myanmar and Northeast India will have negative health effects on the local population.
  • Drug Abuse – The instances of Drug abuse are rising in India, especially among the youth generation, because of the easy accessibility to drugs. According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s research, there is an estimated 2.1% of Indians use opioids like heroin, opium, and recreational sedatives. The states with the greatest rates of opioid use include Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. These states are in close proximity to the Golden Triangle.
  • Darknet – One of the worst aspects of technology’s involvement in drug trafficking is the usage of the dark net. Trafficking of narcotics and psychoactive substances has become more anonymous because of the use of the dark net and courier/postal deliveries.

Learn more about the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking!

Why does the Golden Triangle use India for smuggling?

The Golden Triangle uses India for smuggling due to the following reasons –

  • The security at the border between India and Myanmar is not strict. Additionally, as part of an agreement between the governments of India and Myanmar, there is a Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar that permits visa-free travel for Indians and Burmese within 16 kilometers of the border.
  • Smugglers found an ideal place to hide because of the rough and hilly terrain along with the highly forested area.
  • Tribes in the area and other locals participate in criminal behavior out of sympathy for the North Eastern regions’ widespread poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy.

स्वर्णिम त्रिभुज – यूपीएससी के लिए महत्वपूर्ण अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंध नोट्स यहां हिंदी में पढ़ें और पीडीएफ डाउनलोड करें!

Way Forward

Drug trafficking is becoming a significant form of international organized crime that has the potential to threaten national security. A thorough examination of military and governance systems and efficient cooperation between the regional center, state, and transnational governments are required to address such complex security challenges.

Therefore, we require a comprehensive national security strategy that addresses both military and contemporary non-traditional challenges that are arising due to the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle.

We hope all your doubts related to the topic of the Golden Triangle are addressed after going through this article. Testbook provides comprehensive notes for Civil services and various other competitive examinations. It has always assured the quality of its products, like content pages, live tests, GK and current affairs, mocks, and so on. Ace your UPSC preparation with Testbook. 

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Golden Triangle FAQs

The Golden Triangle is famous for illegal drug production and trafficking across the world through various routes.

The three countries in the Golden Triangle are Laos, Thailand and Myanmar from East to West.

The three countries which are part of the Golden Crescent are Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

It is called the Golden Triangle because of the triangular shape formed by the geographical locations of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. It is Southeast Asia's main opium-producing region. It is called the Golden triangle because gold was used by Chinese traders to pay for opium grown there.

Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar are part of the Golden Triangle.
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