Information regarding potential biological warfare pursuits on the part of India remains scarce. India is a signatory of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) and has pledged not to develop an offensive biological warfare (BW) program. Open source data indicating the existence of a covert program is scarce, but India is theoretically capable of redirecting peaceful or defensive research toward offensive applications. There is a multitude of facilities across India undertaking research on a variety of biotechnology-related issues. Having a strong agricultural base, India has a number of laboratories and facilities that conduct research on various pesticides and diseases affecting agricultural crops. Furthermore, like most developing nations, India conducts research on several endemic diseases that have been weaponized by other nations in the past. For instance, given the plague outbreak of 1994 and several anthrax-related scares in 2001, India's research on these pathogens is understandable. Ultimately, while there is a strong biological infrastructure in place that could mask a covert offensive BW program, no open source data indicates that this is the case.

India does conduct defensive BW research, brought to light in statements made by military spokespersons regarding various defensive exercises involving nuclear, chemical, and biological (NBC) warfare. Since September 11 and the anthrax attacks in the United States, there has been an increasing interest in NBC defense in India, and a number of NBC-related courses have been established in both the government and private sectors.

Control over India's BW program officially starts with the government of India, which is responsible for ensuring the country's defense. Although the office of the president is nominally in command of the armed forces, the executive responsibility for national defense and for the chemical warfare program rests with the Union Cabinet headed by the prime minister. The next subordinate level is the defense minister. Within the Ministry of Defence, the BW program is overseen by the Department of Defence Research & Development (DDR&D), headed by a Secretary who also serves as Scientific Adviser to the Defense Minister. The main function of the DDR&D is the formulation of research, design, and development plans for equipment used by the three military services. Reporting to the DDR&D is the Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO), which administers the government laboratories working in the BW arena.

	Updated September 2005