In light of the recent pandemic, the vulnerability of several world powers to biological weapons has been highlighted. Previously, nations such as the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union spearheaded the development of complex biological weapons programs in the aftermath of World War II. This trend persists even in the present day as several countries continue to invest in this dangerous technology.
Understanding Bioterrorism and Biological Weapons
One term that often arises within this realm is ‘bioterrorism’. This refers to the intentional release of harmful biological agents like viruses, bacteria, or germs, with an objective to sicken or kill individuals, livestock, or crops. Biological weapons rely on these agents to induce disease in humans, animals, or plants.
These agents can stem from numerous sources including bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, biological toxins, and fungi. With appropriate delivery systems such as a missile or aerosol device, these agents can serve as devastating biological weapons. For instance, Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria behind anthrax, is a likely candidate for bioterrorist attacks.
The most destructive scenarios involve airborne dispersion of pathogens across densely populated regions. Additionally, tropical agricultural pathogens or pests can undermine food security worldwide. Even small amounts of these biotic agents can be easily concealed, transported, and released into susceptible populations, making this form of attack a significant threat.
Is Covid-19 a Bioweapon?
The Novel-coronavirus, alleged to have originated in bats, has created speculation about its potential links to bioweaponry. Initial claims from intelligence agencies suggested a natural occurrence of the virus. However, subsequent claims stated that the pandemic might have originated in a Wuhan lab after researchers allegedly discovered how bat coronaviruses could mutate to infect humans. Despite these allegations, there is currently no evidence suggesting that the virus was consciously engineered or manipulated.
Given India’s geopolitical context and the potential threat from hostile neighbors like Pakistan and China, the probability of biological warfare cannot be wholly dismissed.
Strategies to Combat Bioterrorism
International entities including the European Union, Russia, and China are exploring methods to prevent bioterrorism and biowarfare. Their aim is to hinder terrorists’ access to resources necessary for creating biological weapons. Here are some proposed strategies:
1. Intelligence Sharing & Rapid Detection: Collaboration between international intelligence agencies and sharing credible intelligence could enhance detection and response times to bioterror attacks.
2. Pathogen Analysis: Swift, uniform techniques for detecting a wide array of pathogens in a measurable manner are required.
3. Strengthening the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC): Although the BTWC prohibits signatory nations from developing, producing, stockpiling, or retaining harmful biological agents, there’s no reliable method to ensure compliance. Therefore, it’s crucial to reinforce the BTWC to help expose and prevent biological weapons programs.
4. Biodefense Systems: Major urban areas should consider upgrading and establishing biodefense systems to guard against deadly disease outbreaks instigated by bioterrorism.
The Way Forward
The studies assessing the actual efficiency of counter-bioterrorism measures are currently limited. It is imperative that concerted, systematic efforts are devoted to studying the effectiveness of these measures. It must also be noted that implementing certain counter-bioterrorism practices might potentially impact human rights, institutional liberties, democratic values, and the Rule of Law, and this needs careful consideration.