It is unclear at present how the proposal by China and Pakistan for an Aspirational (Ethical) Code under the BTWC will be taken forward through to the 9th Review Conference of the Convention in 2022. However, some difficult questions will have to be addressed for this process to be successful in producing a code that can then be implemented in more detailed codes of conduct and codes of practice in national and professional settings after the Review Conference.

I. Introduction

Bioweapons have often remained a less debated subject in global dialogue as compared to other weapons of mass destruction. However, the recent development in technologies have lowered the barriers of designing new bioweapons and resurrected the threat of biowarfare. This has culminated in increasing recognition of such weapons in the global intelligence community and a review of existing regulations to ensure one remains updated to tackle with the renewed biological weapons threat. India is also vulnerable to biological attacks given the poor primary healthcare network, conducive environment and conflicting relations with neighbouring countries.

Recent biological and chemical trends highlights a growing concern regarding an evident indifference with respect to the support of the long standing institution CWC and BWC. This can be attributed to three causes the lowering of thresholds for developing BW and using CW, the demonstrated international lack of will to support these key international institutions, and a questionable ability to deal with the types of mass casualty scenarios as a result of biological or chemical attack.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction usually referred to as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), or Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) is the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the production of an entire category of weapons, entering into force in 1975. The Eighth BWC Review Conference was recently held at Geneva from November 7-25, 2016, Unfortunately, it appears to have flattened for the lack of consensus among the member-states until the next conference in 2021.

The States Parties to the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention are preparing for the Eighth Review Conference in November. Their focus remains on institutional capacity and exchange of views and information, rather than on possible specific compliance concerns. Consultations and proposals are reviewed. Treaty norms and appropriate capacity must be maintained.