50 Years of Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

Why in news?

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) marked its 50^th anniversary in 2025 with commemorative events organized by India in New Delhi.

• BWC’s formal name – Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction.

Biological weapons are used to disseminate disease-causing organisms or toxins to harm or kill humans, animals, or plants. They can be deadly, contagious, and cross-national borders quickly.

• Negotiated at - The Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Opened for signature on 10 April 1972 & entered into force - 26 March 1975.
• Purpose – Ensuring that advances in biology and biotechnology are used solely for “peaceful purposes” – and not to trigger artificial epidemics that threaten us all.
• Supplements – the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which prohibited only the use of biological weapons, by banning their development, production, and stockpiling.
• Members – 188 countries are party to the convention, India signed & ratified in 1974.
  • 4 Signatory States – Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, Syrian Arab Republic.
  • 5 States – Israel, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea and Kiribati have neither signed nor acceded to the Convention.
• Key highlights –
  • It is the 1^st multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.
  • It effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
• India’s Progress in biotechnology –
  • Produces 60% of the world’s vaccines
  • Supplies over 20% of global generic medicines, including 60% of Africa’s generics
  • Nearly 11,000 biotech startups present in India - up from just 50 in 2014 – making it the world’s 3^rd largest biotech startup ecosystem;
  • Advanced facilities under ICMR and DBT, including BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs, can detect and respond to a wide range of biological threats.

Bioterrorism – The intentional release of biological agents or toxins for the purpose of harming/killing humans, animals/plants with the intent to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population to further political or social objectives.

References

1. The Hindu | Bioterrorism a serious threat – EAM S. Jaishankar
2. United Nation | Biological Weapons Convention
3. United Nation | 50^th anniversary of BWC