Need framework to deal with challenge of biological weapons: Jaishankar

New Delhi: India on Monday pitched for a global mechanism to check any possible misuse of biological weapons in view of the uncertain international security environment.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said "misuse" of biological weapons by non-state actors is no longer a distant possibility and international cooperation is needed to combat such a challenge.

He was speaking at a conference on 50 years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).

"Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the international community has to be adequately prepared for. Yet the BWC still lacks basic institutional structures," he said. "It has no compliance system, it has no permanent technical body and no mechanism to track new scientific developments. These gaps must be bridged in order to strengthen confidence," he added.

India, the minister said, has consistently called for stronger compliance measures within BWC, including verification designed for today's world. "India supports international cooperation and assistance enabling exchange of materials and equipment for peaceful use," he said.

"We have further called for systematic review of scientific and technological developments so that governance does indeed keep pace with innovation," he added.