Abstract: COVID-19 sent the whole world and economy into a tailspin. This article first explores the brief history of use of biological weapons. Furthermore, it encapsulates the debates surrounding the biological weapon convention in general and COVID-19 in particular. Finally, the article highlights India’s ability to fight back a pandemic and her resilience that was tested in the initial phase of COVID-19 and during the second wave.

Perpetual biological threats in India presented in different forms, and of various intensities call for a comprehensive biosecurity framework. Rapidly advancing scientific developments in synthetic biology have altered the landscape of probable biological threats. Taking cues from legal biosecurity frameworks of developed nations; legally binding regulations along with integrated and wide-ranging biosafety, biosecurity and biodefense policies need to be re-designed to form the backbone of this robust comprehensive biosecurity framework.

Novichok nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War emerged as a lethal tool due to their use in attempted assassinations recently. Two such attempts involving deadly Novichok nerve agents in Salisbury, UK (2018) and Omsk, Russia (2020) raised doubts about Russia’s existing tactical CW arsenal.