On Saturday India made a fresh call to halt biological weapons on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and also called for institutional strengthening of the WHO.

India calls for a ban over Bio Weapon

‘The global economic and social implications of the pandemic, caused by Covid-19, have stressed the need for international cooperation, including institutional strengthening of the WHO’ The coronavirus pandemic, which first emerged in China’s Wuhan, has killed 23,495 people globally.

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According to Time Now, India has called for a strict agreement of a global treaty banning the production of biological weapons of mass destruction.

Emphasizing the need for an effective response to the challenges posed by new scientific developments in the area, India called the deadly coronavirus pandemic and its economic and social relationships across the world.

This statement comes on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) coming into force.

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In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs, without elaborating, said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic calls for international cooperation, including institutional strengthening of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dealing with bio-threats

It said India has been working with other member countries of the Convention to establish a database that can play an important role in bargaining with bio-threats and bio-emergencies.

“India strongly believes that the BWC must respond effectively to the challenges posed by the new and emerging scientific and technological developments of relevance to the Convention,” the MEA said.

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They added that the ongoing pandemic has highlighted the need for strengthening cooperation amongst the States Parties to the BWC aimed at full and effective implementation of the Convention in all its aspects.

The BWC was the first multilateral treaty banning the production of the entire range of biological and chemical weapons. India, through its annual resolution at the UN General Assembly, has been highlighting the dangers of the possible use of biological weapons in the future by terrorists.