Upgrading India’s Biosecurity in the Age of Biotechnology

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