India reiterated the need for stronger global biosecurity and a more resilient Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) at an international conference in New Delhi in 2025, marking 50 years of the BWC.

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that the global community remains unprepared to counter bioterrorism, especially threats from non-state actors.

About Biological Weapons Convention (BWC):

• Formal Title: “The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.”
• Nature: The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is a legally binding international treaty that prohibits the use of biological and toxin weapons, and bans their development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, and transfer.
  • The BWC is the first multilateral disarmament treaty that bans an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
  • It complements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which had restricted only the use of biological weapons, by extending restrictions to their development and possession.
• Genesis: The BWC was opened for signature in April 1972 and entered into force in March 1975.
• Membership: The BWC has near-universal membership, consisting of 189 States Parties.
  • India is among the early States Parties to the BWC; it signed in 1973 and ratified the Convention in 1974.
• First Multilateral Disarmament Treaty: The BWC is the first multilateral disarmament treaty that bans an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
• It complements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which had restricted only the use of biological weapons, by extending restrictions to their development and possession.
• Key Provisions:
  • Absolute Prohibition: States Parties pledge never, under any circumstances, to develop, produce, stockpile, acquire, or retain biological or toxin weapons.
  • Destruction Obligations: States must ensure that all existing biological weapons are destroyed or permanently diverted to peaceful purposes.
  • Ban on Transfer and Assistance: States undertake not to transfer, assist, encourage, or induce any actor to manufacture or acquire biological weapons in any form.
• Compliance and Enforcement
  • Cooperation Provisions: The Convention encourages states to cooperate bilaterally or multilaterally to address compliance concerns and resolve issues related to implementation.
  • UN Security Council Mechanism: Any State Party may request the United Nations Security Council to investigate alleged violations, and all States must cooperate with investigations initiated by the UNSC.
  • Lack of Verification Body: The BWC does not have a dedicated implementation or verification body, which allows for potential violations without robust oversight.
  • Review Conferences: States Parties convene approximately every five years to review the operation of the Convention and strengthen its implementation.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books

Visit PW Store

DOWNLOAD PDF