Relevance: GS-3 (Security, Biosecurity, International Treaties)

At the 50-year review of the Biological Weapons Convention, India warned that the world remains unprepared for bioterrorism, especially from non-state actors, and stressed that the Global South must be central to global biosecurity efforts.

What is the BWC?

• Adopted: 1972 | In force: 1975
• First global treaty to ban an entire category of weapons.
• Prohibits:
  • Development
  • Production
  • Stockpiling
  • Transfer of biological and toxin weapons
• Major limitation:
  • No verification or compliance mechanism — repeatedly highlighted by India.

India’s Stand

• Strong commitment to preventing misuse of biological materials.
• Proposed a National Implementation Framework to regulate:
  • High-risk biological agents
  • Reporting of incidents
  • Domestic biological research
• Calls for stronger biosecurity for developing nations, citing inequitable access to vaccines and health tools during COVID-19.
• Supports strengthening BWC bodies and monitoring systems.

Bioterrorism – Key Threats

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC):

1. It prohibits the development and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons.
2. It has a permanent verification and compliance system.
3. India is a signatory to the BWC.

Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only                     (b) 1 only
(c) 2 and 3 only                    (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)
(Statement 2 is incorrect because the BWC has no verification mechanism.)