The misuse of biological weapons by non-state actors is no longer a “distant possibility” and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) must be modernised as it has no compliance system or mechanism to track new scientific developments, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.
Jaishankar reiterated India’s call for stronger compliance measures within the BWC, including verification designed for the contemporary era, and for systematic reviews of scientific and technological developments to ensure governance keeps pace with innovation. He was addressing a conference on 50 years of the BWC with the focus on strengthening biosecurity for the Global South.
India, he said, has an established record in backing the non-proliferation of sensitive and dual-use goods and technologies, and a robust legal and regulatory system to implement the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 1540 on non-proliferation and strategic trade controls.
“Misuse [of biological weapons] by non-state actors is no longer a distant possibility. Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the international community has to be adequately prepared for,” Jaishankar said, noting that the BWC still lacks basic institutional structures, a compliance system, a permanent technical body and a mechanism to track new developments.
“These gaps must be bridged in order to strengthen confidence,” he said, adding that India has sought stronger compliance measures within the BWC and backed global cooperation and assistance to enable the exchange of materials and equipment for peaceful use.
{{/usCountry}}“These gaps must be bridged in order to strengthen confidence,” he said, adding that India has sought stronger compliance measures within the BWC and backed global cooperation and assistance to enable the exchange of materials and equipment for peaceful use.
{{/usCountry}}India has also proposed a National Implementation Framework covering the identification of high-risk agents, oversight of dual-use research, domestic reporting, incident management, and continuous training. India stands for assistance during biological incidents that is fast, practical and humanitarian, he said.
“For 50 years, BWC has stood by one simple idea: That humanity rejects disease as a weapon. But norms survive only when nations renew them…We must modernise the Convention, we must keep pace with science and strengthen global capacity so that all countries can detect, prevent and respond to biological risks,” he said. India stands ready as a trusted partner of the Global South and a committed supporter of global biosecurity, he added.
Addressing a gathering that included Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir Kamat, Jaishankar noted the international security environment had become more uncertain and rapid developments in technology have led to availability and affordability of sophisticated biotechnology tools and a marked reduction in costs of sequencing and synthesis.
“Recent outbreaks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected each and every one of us, have imposed a steep learning curve for policymakers and practitioners alike. These developments have raised new questions to be considered in the context of the implementation of the BWC,” he said.
A biological threat – whether natural or deliberate – moves fast, defies borders and can overwhelm systems, requiring public health and security to reinforce each other. Systems for detecting natural outbreaks help counter deliberate ones and no country can manage such threats alone, meaning that international cooperation is the required solution, he said.
The Global South must be central to such efforts as many countries face “deep gaps” such as fragile healthcare, weak surveillance, limited laboratories and slow emergency response. “If biosecurity is uneven, so is global safety. The Global South is the most vulnerable and has the most to gain from stronger biosecurity. It also has the most to contribute. Its voice must therefore shape the next 50 years of the BWC,” Jaishankar said.
India has a responsibility in helping the Global South because of its strong capacities in public health, pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biosciences. Even as India supplies more than 20% of global generic medicines, 60% of Africa’s generics come from India, he noted. India’s increased healthcare investment and research network can detect and respond to a wide range of biological threats and will always be a trusted global partner, he said.