Biosecurity refers to the set of practices and systems designed to deter the intentional misuse of biological agents, toxins or technologies.
Why India needs Biosecurity?
- Agriculture & Food Security Risk: Dependence on agriculture and livestock makes India vulnerable to agro-terrorism and bio-sabotage.
- Geographical: Porous and maritime borders risk cross-border movement of pathogens and invasive species.
- Non-State Actor Threats: Access to low-cost toxins (like ricin) increase risk of asymmetric biological warfare.
- Biotechnology Proliferation: New-age biotech tools increase the risk of misuse and accidental leaks.
- Public Health: Biosecurity incidents can cripple healthcare systems. E.g. Zoonotic spill-over of diseases
Way Forward:
- Legislative and Regulatory Framework:
- India needs a dedicated biosecurity law addressing modern threats E.g. dual-use dilemma
- Global models integrate health, defence, and biotech oversight. E.g. US National Biodefense Strategy, Australia’s Biosecurity Act.
- Nodal biosecurity agency: Streamline Interagency coordination across health, agriculture, and defence ministries.
- Research and Development: Focus on defence-oriented virology, vaccines, and bio-threat mitigation.
- New-age Biodefence technologies: E.g. Microbial forensics, social media surveillance.
Initiatives:Global:
India:
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