Growing Threat of Bioterrorism in India: Conflict, Consequences and Challenges

Abstract

Bioterrorism, a newly emerging non-traditional security threat has been considered really dangerous in the years to come. Bioterrorism refers to the intentional use of biological agents such as the bacteria, viruses, microbes, toxins, etc. as weapons in warfare to cause widespread destruction and chaos. There are various factors that increase the possibility of a bioterrorist attack in the future like the easily and readily available biological agents, easy transmission of these agents via food, air and water, they do not incur huge costs and have the potential to affect a larger population. In the above context, this chapter intends to focus on citing some instances of a bioterrorist attack in the past while not forgetting its increasing possibility in the future. This chapter shall also focus on the historic Biological Weapons Convention, 1972. Bioterrorism is a new form of non-traditional security threat having immense potential to cause destruction and pose a significant threat to a nation’s security and its population. The study will throw light on the risk assessment, surveillance and management that comes along with dealing with the bioterrorist attack in the future and at the same time preventing it from happening.