Researchers from Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) and the Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR) have synthesized and evaluated a series of novel antileishmanial agents. Synthesis and optimization of a series of halogen-rich salicylanilides led to the discovery of compounds [I] and [II], which demonstrated the best antileishmanial activity, with IC50 values of 2.89 μM and 2.09 μM, respectively against Leishmania donovani amastigote.