Biological Weapons Convention and Bioterrorism | 05 Dec 2025

Source:TH 

Why in News?  

At the 50-year commemoration of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in New Delhi, India’s External Affairs Minister highlighted that the world is still not prepared to deal with bioterrorism, stressing rising risks from non-state actors and calling for stronger global biosecurity frameworks. 

What is the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)? 

• About:  The BWC, formally titled “The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction,” effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. 
  • The General Purpose Criterion under Article I of the BWC bans any biological agents, toxins, or related materials that lack legitimate peaceful, protective, or prophylactic use, instead of listing specific agents or technologies. 
  • BWC opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975 (India ratified in 1974).  
    • The Convention is reviewed every five years to align it with evolving scientific, technological, and security challenges. 
  • The BWC supplements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which had prohibited only the use of biological weapons. 
• Key Features:  The BWC defines biological and toxin weapons as microorganisms (such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi) or toxins produced by living organisms that are deliberately released to cause disease or death in humans, animals, or plants. 
  • It is the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). 
  • It prohibits development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, and use of biological and toxin weapons. 
• India and BWC:   To ensure BWC full implementation, India has established a strong domestic regulatory framework, including the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro-organisms, Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells Rules, 1989, the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, and export controls under the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) list.  
• Gaps in BWC: Lacks a formal compliance and verification mechanism to ensure member countries follow treaty obligations. 
  • The BWC’s Implementation Support Unit, was set up to handle administrative and coordination tasks, has no verification powers, leaving the Convention without an enforcement mechanism unlike the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) under the Chemical Weapons Convention. 
  • No structured system to track emerging scientific and technological developments. 
  • These gaps weaken global confidence in the treaty and reduce collective preparedness against bioweapons. 

What is Bioterrorism? 

• About: According to the INTERPOL, Bioterrorism is the deliberate release of harmful biological agents or toxins to cause disease and fear, aiming to pressure or influence governments or civilian populations for political or social objectives. 

Concerns Associated with Bioterrorism 

• High Casualty Potential: Biological agents can spread rapidly, cause mass infections, and overwhelm public health systems. 
  • Covid-19 exposed major gaps in global outbreak response, showing how unprepared nations were even for natural pathogens. 
• Difficult Detection & Attribution: Many biological attacks resemble natural outbreaks, making it hard to detect early or identify the perpetrator. 
• Dual-Use Research Risks: Advances in biotechnology, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering can be misused to create more potent or resistant pathogens. 
• Low-Cost, High-Impact Threat: Biological weapons are cheaper to produce compared to nuclear or chemical weapons, making them attractive to non-state actors. 
• Psychological & Economic Disruption: Fear, misinformation, and public panic can destabilise societies, disrupt supply chains, and damage economies. 

What Measures Can Strengthen Biosecurity? 

• National Implementation Framework: India has proposed a comprehensive framework covering high-risk biological agents, oversight of dual-use research, mandatory domestic reporting, and incident-management mechanisms. 
• Bio-Forensics & Attribution: Build scientific capacity to trace the source of outbreaks, support investigations, and deter deliberate misuse. 
• Focus on the Global South: India stresses that Global South countries should be central to future biosecurity planning because they are most vulnerable and must have equitable access to vaccines, medicines, and technology. 
• Dual-Use Dilemma Oversight: Research on vaccines, diagnostics, or biofuels can be misused, so stricter ethical review, monitoring, and regulatory checks are essential. 
• Article VII Assistance Mechanism: India (along with France) recommended creating a global database to facilitate timely assistance to any State Party exposed to biological threats or treaty violations. 
• International Cooperation: India stresses that biological threats cannot be addressed in isolation and require stronger international cooperation, especially in capacity building, surveillance, and technology sharing.  
  • Agreements like the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 2000 support this by promoting the safe handling and movement of living modified organisms to protect biodiversity and human health. 
• Confidence Building Measures (CBMs): Improve transparency through regular data sharing, facility declarations, and national legislation updates to strengthen trust under the BWC. 

Conclusion 

Bioterrorism risks are rising, and gaps in the BWC show the world is not fully prepared. India’s push for stronger compliance, oversight, and Global South inclusion is vital for building a safer global biosecurity system.