Need to secure bio arms: India

• Concern over their falling into hands of terrorists
• Calls for stronger biological weapons convention

United Nations: India has stressed on the need to strengthen implementation of the biological weapons convention in the wake of challenges to international peace and security emanating from threat posed by terrorists and non-state actors seeking access to biological toxins.

"The use of chemical weapons anywhere and by anyone must be condemned and the international norm against the use of chemical weapons must not be breached," Ambassador DB Venkatesh Varma, Permanent Representative of India to the UN Conference on Disarmament, said during a UN General Assembly debate on 'Other Weapons of Mass Destruction' here on Friday.

He said India remains committed to improving the effectiveness of the Biological Weapons Convention and strengthening its implementation and universalization. "We believe this is necessary in view of the new challenges to international peace and security emanating from proliferation trends, including the threat posed by terrorists or other non-state actors seeking access to biological agents or toxins for terrorist purposes," Varma added.

He underlined the importance attached by India to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological Weapons Convention as examples of non-discriminatory treaties in the field of disarmament for the total elimination of specific type of weapons of mass destruction.

India reaffirms that disarmament is a primary goal of the chemical weapons convention and should remain the priority till the complete destruction of all chemical weapons is achieved.

India is committed to maintaining the highest international standards with reference to control of chemical, biological and toxin items, he said, adding the country has made considerable progress in its engagement with the Australia Group and other export control regimes with a view to seeking full membership.

With a large and growing chemical industry, India has the second largest number of declared facilities. India receives one of the largest number of inspections from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the country has a "flawless" track record of verification inspections.

"We believe that the OPCW needs to evolve transparent and objective criteria and modalities for inspections. The provisions of the Convention should be implemented in a manner that does not hinder legitimate activities, especially in countries like India with a large and growing chemical industry," Varma added.