Why in the News?
India hosted an international conference in New Delhi marking 50 years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), focusing on "Strengthening Biosecurity for the Global South".
More on the News
- India emphasised the need for capacity-building and technical assistance to tackle emerging biological threats, especially ensuring reliable support during biological incidents.
- Stressed the urgency to further strengthen the BWC so that it remains fit for purpose amid rapid technological and geopolitical changes.
About Biological Weapon Convention (BWC)
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About Biosecurity
- Definition: Biosecurity refers to the set of practices and systems designed to deter the intentional misuse of biological agents, toxins or technologies.
- Scope: It encompasses food safety, zoonoses, management of invasive alien species, and the introduction of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
- Specific Biosecurity Hazards
- Zoonotic diseases (Zoonoses): E.g., Avian influenza (H5N1), BSE (from cattle), and Nipah virus (from pigs).
- Agricultural Risks: Foreign invasive species, agriterrorism, and the intentional release of insect vectors.
- Synthetic Threats: Infectious agents built using freely available genomic knowledge on the internet and readily available building blocks.
Bioterrorism
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- India's Existing Biosecurity Architecture
- Major laws: The Epidemic Diseases Act (1897); Disaster Management Act (2005), Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Livestock Importation Act, Plant Quarantine Regulatory Act; Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.
- Regulatory bodies:
- Research governance and safety frameworks: Department of Biotechnology under Ministry of Science and Technology.
- Outbreak surveillance and response: National Centre for Disease Control under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Livestock biosecurity and transboundary diseases: Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
- Agricultural imports and exports: Plant Quarantine Organisation of India under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Need for Enhanced Biosecurity Architecture
- Limitations in BWC
- Issues with India's Existing Biosecurity Architecture:
- Verification: The BWC lacks a formal verification system or an implementing body to monitor compliance.
- Lack of Information sharing: The convention fails to impose an obligation upon states to declare what types and amounts of agents or potential weapons they are researching or producing or have already produced.
- Ambiguous Biological Weapon Definition: The ambiguous nature of the definition impedes measures to strengthen the agreement, causing uncertainty during deliberations and disagreements on key elements contained in other parts of the convention.
- Dual-Use Challenge: Rapid advances in gene editing and synthetic biology make it difficult to distinguish between legitimate research and weaponization.
- Structural Issues: Outdated laws, disconnect between scientific expertise and policymaking and lack of training for personnel.
- Vulnerability Profile: India faces risks due to high population density, inadequate public health infrastructure, and low spending on public healthcare.
- Agriculture & Food Security Risk: Dependence on agriculture and livestock makes India vulnerable to agro- terrorism and bio-sabotage.
- Zoonotic Threats: Approximately 75% of new human pathogens originate from animals; India's rapid ecosystem disruptions encourage these spill-overs.
- Geopolitical Risks: The strong biotechnological capacity of rival nations and the relative ease of access to biological agents increase weaponization risks.
- Porous and maritime borders risk cross-border movement of pathogens and invasive species.
- Bio-Economy Growth: As India expands its biotechnology sector, it requires a robust framework to prevent accidental lab leaks or the theft of sensitive biological data.
- Non-State Actor Threats: Access to low-cost toxins (like ricin) increase risk of asymmetric biological warfare.
Way Forward
- New Legislation: Draft a comprehensive Public Health and Biosecurity Bill to replace outdated laws, provide clear power structures and address modern threats.
- Need for a Dedicated Biosecurity Agency in India: It would eliminate siloing, ensuring strategic alignment across health, agriculture, and defense sectors.
- One Health Integration: Adopt a "One Health" approach within intelligence networks to assess risks across human, animal, and plant health simultaneously.
- Research and Development: Focus on defence-oriented virology, vaccines, and bio-threat mitigation.
- AI Safeguards: Formulate a nationwide task force to study biosecurity threats stemming from AI-Bio convergence and conduct technology foresight studies.
- Diplomatic Leadership: Leverage platforms like Quad and the US-India iCET for joint strategic initiatives in biosecurity detection and deterrence.
Conclusion
Biosecurity has evolved from a narrow focus on biological weapons to a holistic "One Biosecurity" concept integrating human, animal, and environmental health. For India, transforming regulatory deficits into diplomatic strength offers an opportunity to lead the Global South in championing modern, resilient biosecurity norms.
