How Prepared is India for a Bioterror Threat?

Representative Image of Bio Molecule Chain from Wix Media

The Thirty-eighth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted pursuant to resolution 2734 (2024) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities has highlighted the threat of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS, not listed) with the possibility of involvement in the November 2025 attack near the Red Fort in Delhi.

The AQIS continued to evolve from a fragmented group into a regional terrorist entity; it established logistics and financial networks, working in decentralized small, scattered cells instead of large units. The attack in November 2025 on the Red Fort in Delhi was officially attributed to AQIS in the Report. 

This inference is possibly based on Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) uncovering the “white-collar” terror cell operating out of Faridabad, Haryana. 

The NIA in a voluminous 7500-page chargesheet against the accused, linking them to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), a known AQIS offshoot. Importantly the Report also stated that “Al-Qaida and ISIL (Da’esh) have shown a sustained interest over many years in developing chemical and biological weapons, but so far have failed to overcome the associated technical challenges”.

Instructions on how to develop such weapons have been shared widely within online terrorist communities as per the Report and stated that  in February, ISIL (Da’esh)’s English-language Invade magazine included instructions on how to develop botulinum toxin and cyanide. ISIL-K has shown a particular interest, and over the past 12 months circulated instructions on developing the toxin ricin. This is linked to the arrest of three, including a doctor, who had been tasked by an ISIL (Da’esh) cell abroad to develop ricin. There is no confirmation of this from Indian authorities but underlines the possibility of such a threat in the future.

As far as bioterrorism that is use of biological agents for a terrorist attack study in India have denoted that is been no documented case of bioterrorism so far.

Studies based on investigations into outbreaks indicate that challenges posed by biological weapons are availability of multiple agents and delivery means, variable incubation periods, high mortality rates and potential for geographic dispersion of the agent (due to travel) during the incubation period. As also times prompt identification or distinction between a bioterrorist attack and natural disease outbreak may be difficult says a study. Omnisciently 17 countries are known to have a biological weapons program.

While there are no specific bioterrorism strategies outlined by India, National Disaster Management Guidelines on Management of Biological    Disasters, 2008  does  contain   a    threat-perception    and    risk-management framework covering biological safety, biosecurity and public-health preparedness as per a recent Ministry of Home Affairs response to a question in the Parliament. This appears to be more directed towards emergence of a disease or a pandemic to include Biological and Public Health Emergencies incorporated in the National Disaster Management Plan, 2019. Continuous technical assessment, disease surveillance and early warning are undertaken by the concerned scientific, public-health and security agencies, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council of Medical Research and other designated agencies said the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. The NDMA Guidelines and the National Disaster Management Plan provide an overarching national framework for prevention, preparedness, early detection, containment and coordinated response to biological emergencies the reply stated.

Some additional aspects covered in the reply are as given in the succeeding paragraph.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) which  has been designated as nodal Ministry for biological disaster, has informed that health is a State subject and it provides requisite technical and financial support to States/UTs for strengthening their public health preparedness and response capacities against outbreak of epidemic prone communicable diseases.

In terms of emergence of a disease, enhanced surveillance activities through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) across the country, which allows for a decentralized system of response through trained multi-disciplinary Rapid Response Team (RRTs) to institute requisite public health control and containment measures has been planned.

In terms of laboratory strengthening, under IDSP, States have strengthened laboratories at district and State levels. Further, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established a network of more than 150 Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) for strengthening of nation-wide network of laboratories for timely laboratory based diagnosis of pathogens.

ICMR has developed two mobile Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories to provide essential on-site diagnostic services during outbreaks, especially in remote areas. Funding support has been provided to States/UTs for health system strengthening to meet any exigency due to public health emergencies like pandemics, including strengthening of health infrastructure for enhancement of bed capacities, including ICU beds, expansion of laboratory network, surveillance, procurement of medical logistics etc.

With the long-term goal to better prepare our country against public health emergencies, Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM- ABHIM) has been launched with the intent to enhance the capacity of primary, secondary and tertiary health care facilities/systems and institutes for identifying and managing any new and emerging diseases.

Importantly in terms of preparation of a force for response, Battalions of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are trained in  basic Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) course and the earmarked teams are equipped with requisite rescue, detection, monitoring and decontamination equipment.

NDRF teams are deployed on requisition from concerned State/District authorities across India. NDRF conducts regular multi-agency mock drills on biological and biosecurity emergencies based on vulnerability profile of States/UTs.

These drill involve all major disaster management stakeholder, including Civil Defense, SDRFs, Health Departments, Fire Services, Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), district administration and hospitals.

The exercises help test emergency response plans, improve coordination among agencies, enhance community awareness and strengthen overall preparedness. 

The response is carried out in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), the Incident Response System (IRS) and established inter-agency coordination mechanisms.

In addition, MoHFW also conducts series of mock drills for testing and strengthening cross sector response across India.

Quite apparently while there is a plan for managing biological emergencies, a specific mention of a bioterror threat has not been included and possibly the NDRF teams are made aware of and are geared towards the same.