biological agents: India cautions over ‘heightened’ threat of misuse of biological agents as weapons

India has cautioned over the “heightened” menace of misuse of organic brokers and chemical substances as weapons in opposition to the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and referred to as on the worldwide neighborhood to handle the speedy evolution of proliferation dangers.

It stated new and rising applied sciences could enhance the danger of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) entry by terrorist teams and different non-state actors.

“The entry to those weapons of mass destruction by terrorists and different non-state actors provides a critical dimension to threats posed by these weapons to worldwide peace and safety,” A Amarnath, a counsellor at India’s UN Mission, stated on Tuesday.

Talking on the open consultations of the UN Safety Council 1540 Committee on the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and organic weapons, he stated a key space that wants the main focus of the worldwide neighborhood is the speedy evolution of proliferation dangers.

“New and rising applied sciences could enhance these dangers of WMD entry by terrorist teams and different non-state actors. The rising capabilities of terrorists and different non-state teams to entry supply programs like missiles and unmanned/uncrewed aerial programs have compounded the dangers of terrorism utilizing WMDs.

“Equally, within the COVID-era, the specter of misuse of organic brokers and chemical substances as weapons, mixed with advances in chemistry and biology, has heightened. The open consultations could be a helpful discussion board to deliberate on these points and the way the Committee can help member states on this space,” he stated.

An outbreak of novel coronavirus was first reported in central China’s Wuhan metropolis in December, 2019 and unfold quickly to turn out to be a pandemic.

Over 530,022,000 instances of COVID-19 have been reported globally whereas the illness has claimed the lives of over 6,292,000 individuals, in keeping with Johns Hopkins College.

He careworn that India accords nice significance to the implementation of decision 1540.

“With our longstanding dedication to international non-proliferation, now we have established a robust law-based, nationwide system to implement the provisions of decision 1540,” Amarnath stated.

He stated that recognising the position of the trade, academia and different key stakeholders in facilitating the States’ implementation of decision 1540, India has been organising outreach occasions involving these stakeholders on the nationwide degree, and within the area.

“We additionally assist the 1540 Committee’s enhanced cooperation and coordination with worldwide organisations just like the IAEA (Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company ), different related UN our bodies like UNODA (United Nations Workplace for Disarmament Affairs) and this Council’s counter-terrorism Committees to forestall non-state actors from buying WMDs.”

Amarnath stated that UNSC Decision 1540 identifies terrorists and terrorist teams as key non-state actors, who could purchase, develop, visitors in or use weapons of mass destruction and their technique of supply.

“This menace of terrorists-acquiring-weapons-of-mass-destruction will not be within the theoretical realm as additional indicated within the current stories” of the UN Investigative Group to Promote Accountability for Crimes Dedicated by Da’esh.

He stated their findings reveal {that a} terrorist group with appreciable territory below its management can develop and deploy these lethal weapons inside a brief time frame.

“That is deeply disturbing. Due to this fact, stopping terrorist teams from buying and utilizing weapons of mass destruction should be an pressing precedence and duty of the worldwide neighborhood. On this regard, we encourage member states to deal with this vital menace throughout the open consultations.”

He added that the complete implementation of decision 1540, although a long-term job, would require steady and fixed efforts from member states, particularly for prohibiting entry or actions by any non-State actor, particularly for terrorist functions, associated to nuclear, chemical or organic weapons and their technique of supply.

“As a member of the 1540 Committee, India would welcome suggestions and solutions from member states and help suppliers on how the Committee can fulfil its mandate and enhance the effectiveness of its help, maybe by enabling sharing of experiences within the areas by utilising nationwide experiences there.”