BTWC: India and its Neighboring Countries

Compiled by: Monalisa Joshi

India

BTWC-signed on 15-01-73 and ratified on15-07-74

India has declared defensive biological warfare capabilities.

Research has been conducted on agents like plague, brucellosis, and smallpox.

Afghanistan

BTWC-signed 10-04-72 and ratified 26-03-75

After their invasion in 2002, Coalition sources reported Al Qaeda-operated sites and factories linked to biological agent production from the country.

Bangladesh

BTWC-acceded on 11-03-85

Bhutan

BTWC-acceded on 08-06-78

China

BTWC-acceded on 15-11-84

China declared that its Biological Weapons defence program was officially initiated in 1958

China has conducted considerable amounts of ostensibly defensive research on potential weapon agents like anthrax, tularemia and botulinum.

US and Taiwanese sources claim that China has offensive biological weapons programme.

China has extensively invested in new technologies like biological engineering to improve its industrial base

Myanmar

BTWC- signed on 10-04-72

There have been unconfirmed allegations of biological weapons use by minorities and insurgents in 1993 and 1995 against the ‘Tatmadaw’ or the Myanmarese armed forces.

Nepal

BTWC-signed on 10-04-72

Pakistan

BTWC-signed on10-04-72 and ratified on 25-09-74

Since early 1990s it has been alleged that Pakistan is conducting research into biological weapons. The possible agents are unknown

Pakistan is not suspected of either producing or stockpiling biological weapons.

US sources claim that Pakistan has the resources and capabilities necessary to support a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort.

History of BTWC | India’s Position on BTWC | Indian Representation | India’s Export Controls | Update on the 6th BTWC Review Conference