India flags bioterrorism threat

India has highlighted the threat from bioterrorism as a major global concern, calling for adequate preparations to respond to the danger.

Addressing a conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) on Monday, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said bioterrorism moves fast, defying borders and overwhelming control systems.

The BWC remains the guardrail between innovation and misuse of activities in the area of life sciences, Jaishankar said.

“Disease must never be used as a weapon,” he said. “Biology must serve peace, not advance harm. Misuse by non-state actors is no longer a distant possibility.”

No country can manage such threats alone, and international cooperation is the only possible solution, Jaishankar stated. “This is precisely why the Global South must be central to today’s discussion,” the Indian foreign minister added.

Citing the country’s strong capacities across public health, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biosciences, Jaishankar noted that India is known as the “pharmacy of the world.” The South Asian nation makes 60% of the world’s vaccines, supplies over 20% of global generic medicines, and accounts for 60% of Africa’s generics. 

The country also has the third-largest biotech startup ecosystem worldwide and is home to nearly 11,000 biotech startups, up from just 50 in 2014. 

India has provided 300 million vaccine doses and medical aid to over 100 less developed and vulnerable countries – many of them free of cost, Jaishankar said.

He noted that India has proposed a National Implementation Framework that covers identification of high-risk agents, oversight of dual-use research, domestic reporting, incident management, and continuous training.