Brief Context
Context Rapid advances in biotechnology have increased the risk of deliberate misuse of biological agents by state and non-state actors, making the strengthening of India’s biosecurity framework a critical national security priority. What is Biosecurity? Biosecurity refers to the set of policies, practices, and institutional systems designed to prevent the intentional misuse of biological agents, toxins, or biotechnologies.
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Syllabus: GS3/ Biotechnology/ Internal Security
Context
- Rapid advances in biotechnology have increased the risk of deliberate misuse of biological agents by state and non-state actors, making the strengthening of India’s biosecurity framework a critical national security priority.
What is Biosecurity?
- Biosecurity refers to the set of policies, practices, and institutional systems designed to prevent the intentional misuse of biological agents, toxins, or biotechnologies.
- It covers safeguarding laboratories handling dangerous pathogens, preventing unauthorised access to biological materials, and detecting and responding to deliberate disease outbreaks.
- Biosecurity extends beyond human health to include animal and plant health.
- Biosecurity differs from biosafety, which focuses on preventing the accidental release of pathogens. A robust biosafety regime strengthens overall biosecurity.
Why Biosecurity Is Critical for India
- India’s large population and high population density increase the potential impact of any biological incident.
- Heavy dependence on agriculture and livestock makes the country vulnerable to agro-terrorism and transboundary animal diseases.
- Rapid growth in biotechnology research increases the challenge of regulating dual-use research with civilian and military applications.
- The interest of non-state actors in low-cost, high-impact biological agents further compounds security risks.
- Recently there have been reports of the alleged preparation of the toxin Ricin (derived from castor oil) for potential use in a terror attack.
India’s Existing Biosecurity Architecture
- The Department of Biotechnology oversees research governance and safety frameworks for labs.
- The National Centre for Disease Control manages outbreak surveillance and response.
- The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying monitors livestock biosecurity and transboundary diseases.
- The Plant Quarantine Organisation of India regulates agricultural imports and exports.
- The National Disaster Management Authority has issued detailed guidelines for the management of biological disasters.
- Key legal instruments include:
- The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, governing hazardous microorganisms and genetically modified organisms.
- The Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, which criminalises biological weapons.
- The Biosafety Rules, 1989, and guidelines issued in 2017 for recombinant DNA research and biocontainment.
International Measures
- Biological Weapons Convention (BMC): It prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
- It entered into force in 1975 and was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
- Australia Group: The Australia Group is an informal forum of countries that seeks to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons.
- It does so by harmonising export controls on dual-use materials, equipment, and technologies.
Global Best Practices
- The U.S. anchors its biosecurity framework under the National Biodefense Strategy (2022-2028) which integrates health, defence, and biotech oversight.
- China’s Biosecurity Law (2021) treats biotechnology and genetic data as matters of national security, mandating centralised control over research and material transfers.
- The United Kingdom’s Biological Security Strategy (2023) focuses on biosurveillance and rapid response.
Way Ahead
- India should establish a comprehensive national biosecurity framework with clear leadership and coordination mechanisms.
- Legal and regulatory systems should be updated to regulate dual-use research and synthetic biology.
- Investment in genomic surveillance, microbial forensics, and early-warning systems should be enhanced.
Source: TH