Syria is in the middle of civil war since March, 2011. Recent reports of use of chemical weapons in Syria and US President Barack Obama’s official statement on this issue has given a new turn to the Syrian conflict. Chemical Weapons (CW) usage and geopolitics of global interests complicate the issue. Acheiving a sustainable solution will require serious and sustained efforts on part of all the actors involved in Syria.

Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that was signed in January 1993 and came into force in 1997 could now be viewed as the most successful arms control mechanism. However, with eight countries still not signatory to the CWC and with approximately 25% of declared weapons stockpile remaing undestroyed as yet, the CWC is still a work in progress.

Angola, a country in southern Africa, which has no officially confirmed history of possession and use of chemical weapons by the state. However, it should be noted that South Africa, in defence of its earlier chemical and biological weapons programme, often cited the capture of chemical detection and decontamination equipment and treatment systems in Angola. There were instances of chemical weapons being used inside Angola when it was under Portuguese colonial rule.

With new developments in the field of science and technology it is becoming very tough for countries to change the level of security preparedness. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for a country to undertake correct threat assessment. While the state's security is relatively assured with the obsolescence of major wars, the non-state actors are found using innovative techniques to spread the divisive politics.

In the two months of April and May (2012), over a hundred schoolgirls and teachers were affected by poisoned drinking water and contaminated air at these high schools. Periodic attacks against students, teachers and schools using various methods are in practice since the Taliban was ousted by the US led allied forces.

With an expansive and expanding network of educational institutions, laboratories and private industrial facilities as also the trend towards privatisation of existing functions, India has to be mindful of the considerable weakness in the current frameworks of material facility and expertise control.

While the Sri Lankan Government and security forces have confirmed the possession of chemical weapons by the LTTE, it is very difficult to verify the actual use of such weapons. However, there are occasional media reports available of LTTE’s chemical attack.