NEW DELHI: Reaffirming India’s commitment to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and its long-standing non-proliferation record, external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday cautioned that the misuse of biological agents by non-state actors is “no longer a distant possibility” and stressed the need for stronger international cooperation to address the threat.
Speaking at a conference marking 50 years of the BWC, Jaishankar said, “Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the international community must be adequately prepared for. Yet the BWC still lacks basic institutional structures. It has no compliance system, no permanent technical body, and no mechanism to track new scientific developments. These gaps must be bridged to strengthen confidence.”
The minister said India has consistently pushed for enhanced compliance measures under the BWC, including modern verification mechanisms. India also supports international cooperation to facilitate exchange of materials and equipment for peaceful applications, he added.
Jaishankar urged participants to reflect on the new risks emerging from rapid scientific and technological advancements and their implications for the BWC regime.
According to the MEA, the minister outlined India’s proposal for a National Implementation Framework that includes identifying high-risk agents, oversight of dual-use research, domestic reporting, incident management and continuous training. He also highlighted India’s annual Disarmament and International Security Affairs Fellowship and its ITEC capacity-building programme on UNSC Resolution 1540 and strategic trade controls as contributions to the global non-proliferation architecture.
