Remarks by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar at Conference on 50 Years of the Biological Weapons Convention: Strengthening Biosecurity for the Global South, New Delhi

Good morning everybody, Namaskar to all of you!

Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood

Chairman, DRDO Dr. Samir Kamat

Excellencies, distinguished experts, ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the Conference on "50 Years of the Biological Weapons Convention: Strengthening Biosecurity for the Global South.”

I extend warm greetings to all of you, especially colleagues from the Global South. Your presence today gives this conference its purpose.

We mark half a century of the BWC, which is the first global treaty, as Chairman, DRDO noted, to outlaw an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. The BWC, building on the Geneva Protocol, a century back from now, drew a clear moral and legal line: disease must never be used as a weapon. Biology must serve peace, not advance harm. Even as science races ahead, the BWC remains the guardrail between innovation and misuse in the life sciences domain.

But we must ask ourselves and the world a hard question: will this norm stay strong for the next 50 years? The answer depends on the decisions we take now.

The international security environment has become more uncertain. Rapid developments in science and technology have led to the availability and affordability of sophisticated biotechnology tools and a marked reduction in the costs of sequencing and synthesis. Recent outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected each and every one of us, have imposed a steep learning curve for policy makers and practitioners alike. These developments have raised new questions to be considered in the context of the implementation of the BWC.

It is clear that whether a biological threat is natural, accidental, or deliberate, it moves fast; it defies borders, and it can, and has overwhelmed systems. Public health and security may look like separate worlds. In reality, they actually reinforce each other. Systems that detect and contain natural outbreaks also help counter deliberate ones. Strong health systems are strong security systems.

No country can manage such threats alone. There is no single solution, but international cooperation comes to being the closest to one. This is precisely why the Global South must be central to today’s discussion.

Many countries in our regions still face deep gaps—fragile healthcare, weak surveillance, limited laboratories, slow emergency response, and unequal access to vaccines and medicines. These are not just developmental issues. They are also global risks. If biosecurity is uneven, so is global safety. The Global South is the most vulnerable and has the most to gain from stronger biosecurity. It also has the most to contribute. Its voice must therefore shape the next 50 years of the BWC.

India recognises this responsibility. India remains committed to full and effective implementation of the BWC. Over the last two decades, we have built strong capacities across public health, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biosciences. India is known for a reason as the "pharmacy of the world”.

I urge you today to consider a few facts:
One, India makes 60% of the world’s vaccines.Two, India supplies over 20% of global generic medicines, with 60% of Africa’s generics coming from India.

Three, India is home to nearly 11,000 biotech startups, up from just 50 in 2014, now it is the third-largest biotech startup ecosystem worldwide.

Four, our healthcare investment has grown sharply, with major progress in digital health.

Five, our research network: ICMR, the DBT labs, the advanced BSL-3 and BSL-4 facilities— they can detect and respond to a wide range of biological threats.

India’s strong private sector has amplified this resilience. It has demonstrated an ability to scale production, to innovate under pressure, and managed a global outreach. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India launched the Vaccine Maitri – Vaccine Maitri being the Vaccine Frienship, in the spirit of what we call Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – "the world is one family” and provided nearly 300 million vaccine doses and medical aid to over 100 less developed and vulnerable countries – many of them free of cost. The message was simple, and the message was that when faced with a health crisis of such proportions, solidarity saves lives, and that India will always be a trusted global partner.

At the same time, as a responsible member of the international community, India is committed to ensuring the non-proliferation of sensitive and dual-use goods and technologies, and we have a well-established record in that regard. India has a robust legal and regulatory system to implement the provisions of UNSC resolution 1540 on non-proliferation and strategic trade controls.

Consistent with our offer to share knowledge and technical expertise on relevant areas and as a contribution to the international non-proliferation architecture, India has been organizing an annual disarmament and international security affairs fellowship programme since 2019.

Last year in partnership with UNODA, India hosted the first capacity building programme on UNSC resolution 1540 and strategic trade controls for the Asia-Pacific. This year we have extended the invitation under the Indian Technical and Economic Programme to Africa as well.

Now, not only is India a party to the multilateral treaties of the BWC and the CWC, but also an active member of three multilateral key export control regimes - the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Australia Group. As you all know, the Australia Group is the most pertinent to this conference since it relates to controls on dual-use chemicals, biological materials and related items. In fact, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Australia Group and we are happy to have the AG Chair with us.

So, as we look ahead, we must assess the developments underway, which are outpacing the existing governance and normative frameworks. Scientific tools are evolving faster than global rules. Synthetic biology, genome editing, and AI-driven design make biological manipulation easier than ever. We have long highlighted concerns relating to advancements in science and technology that have implications for international security and disarmament through annual resolutions in the UN General Assembly First Committee. Another resolution by India adopted by consensus is "Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring WMD.”

Misuse by non-state actors is no longer, Colleagues, a distant possibility. Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the international community has to be adequately prepared for. Yet the BWC still lacks basic institutional structures, as we were just reminded. It has no compliance system, it has no permanent technical body and no mechanism to track new scientific developments. These gaps must be bridged in order to strengthen confidence.

India has consistently called for stronger compliance measures within BWC, including verification designed for today’s world. India supports international cooperation and assistance enabling exchange of materials and equipment for peaceful use. We have further called for systematic review of scientific and technological developments so that governance does indeed keep pace with innovation.

We have proposed a National Implementation Framework that, inter alia covers identification of high-risk agents, oversight of dual-use research, domestic reporting, incident management, and continuous training. India has voiced that assistance during biological incidents must be fast, it must be practical, and it must be purely humanitarian.

For 50 years, BWC has stood by one simple idea: that humanity rejects disease as a weapon. But norms survive only when nations renew them. The next 50 years will demand concerted action. We must modernise the Convention, we must keep pace with science and strengthen global capacity so that all countries can detect, prevent, and respond to biological risks. India stands ready. We remain a trusted partner to the Global South and a committed supporter of global biosecurity.

So let us use this opportunity not just to look back, but to prepare wisely for the future. I thank all our participants who have made the journey to India to attend this conference. Your presence in itself is testament to your commitment to the BWC. I wish you all fruitful discussions and food for thought in advance of the next session of the Working Group of the Strengthening of the BWC and the Meeting of State Parties in Geneva next week.

Once again, my best wishes. Thank you very much.

New Delhi
December 01, 2025