Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Bill

In News

Recently, the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Bill was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha.

Major Highlights

The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022, was introduced by the External Affairs Minister.
Aim: It seeks to ban funding of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
Opposition’ stand:
- The Bill, passed by Lok Sabha in the previous session, was passed by a voice vote in the Upper House, a move challenged by several Opposition MPs, who alleged that it had been passed even as the House remained disrupted.
Centre’s stand: Unanimous support: All members have recognised that:
- Terrorism is a serious threat,
- Weapons of mass destruction are a serious threat,
- There is a gap in the law.
Gap from previous law, filled:
- Currently, the law covers only trading; it does not cover financing.
- This gap needed to be filled.

Image Courtesy: ET

Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022

About:
- It was introduced in Lok Sabha on April 5, 2022.
- The Bill amends the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.
2005 Act: It prohibits unlawful activities (such as manufacturing, transport, or transfer) related to weapons of mass destruction, and their means of delivery.
Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons.
Prohibition on financing certain activities: The Bill bars persons from financing any prohibited activity related to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
Power to Central Government:
- To prevent persons from financing such activities, the central government may freeze, seize or attach their funds, financial assets, or economic resources (whether owned, held, or controlled directly or indirectly).
- It may also prohibit persons from making finances or related services available for the benefit of other persons in relation to any activity which is prohibited.

Significance

Funding: The existing Act was silent on the financing of such WMDs but this amendment has brought teeth to the Act.
Strengthened Centre: The Act has given powers to the Central Government to seize, freeze or control the economic resources used in unlawful WMDs.
As per the norms of FATF: Recommendation 7 of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requires all countries to ensure that financing for WMD-related activities is prohibited.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

WMDs are weapons with the capacity to inflict death and destruction on such a massive scale and so indiscriminately that its very presence in the hands of a hostile power can be considered a grievous threat.
Modern weapons of mass destruction are either nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons—frequently referred to collectively as NBC weapons.
Conventions to outlaw such WMDs:
- Biological Weapons Convention (BWC):
  - The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
  - It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
  - The BWC is a key element in the international community’s efforts to address WMD proliferation and it has established a strong norm against biological weapons.
  - The Convention has reached almost universal membership with 184 States Parties and four Signatory States.
- Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC):
  - After 12 years of negotiations, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) was adopted by the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on 3 September 1992.
  - The CWC allows for the stringent verification of compliance by State Parties.
  - The CWC opened for signature in Paris on 13 January 1993 and entered into force on 29 April 1997.
  - The CWC is the first disarmament agreement negotiated within a multilateral framework that provides for the elimination of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction under universally applied international control.
India is signatory to both these conventions but is not signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which is another international arrangement to fight the growth of WMDs.

Way Ahead

Expedited efforts have to be put in by the international community together with support from the nuclear-weapon states for guaranteeing a safer and peaceful world.
Biological weapons are of the greatest concern to mankind in the contemporary world among all the components of weapons of mass destruction hence requiring a stringent verification mechanism.
The only way to completely eliminate nuclear risks is to eliminate nuclear weapons from the planet.

Source: IE

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