DRDO flags rising global CBRN risks, warns of unstable geopolitical order

Upendra Kumar Singh, Scientist 'DG', Soldier Support Systems, DRDO, said CBRN threats remain a major concern and extensive efforts are underway to address them.

He said the world is currently undergoing a major geopolitical shift.

"CBRN threats and mitigation measures are a concern for all of us, and extensive efforts are being undertaken to address them. In fact, we are in the midst of a geopolitical churn, with the world passing through a turbulent phase where the old geopolitical order is breaking down and a new order is emerging," Singh said.

Adding that military, economic and soft power are increasingly interconnected in global conflicts, Singh said, "In today's situation, military power cannot be separated from soft power, financial power, or economic power. There are many ways to weaken, incapacitate, and destabilise an opponent, whether through trade, commerce, attacks on culture, identity, and value systems, or even through the exploitation of natural resources. The entire global dynamic is extremely unpredictable at this point in time."

Singh also commented on weakening global institutions and rising conflict zones.

He said, "The UN is weakening, and global consensus on conflicts is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. NATO itself appears to be under strain. Treaties and conventions now often remain only on paper. Collateral damage and non-combatants caught in crossfire seem to hold little value for many leaders today. True statesmanship at the global level is becoming rare, and fundamental global principles are at stake, while conflicts continue to rise across the world."

He further referred to risks involving nuclear and biological hazards, saying, "There is also the possibility of states coming under such immense stress that they may lose control over weapons of mass destruction. During Operation Sindoor, there was concern about an attack near a nuclear storage site, which could have escalated beyond control. Scientific communities and departments worked overnight to assess the possible repercussions and likely responses from the other side."

Citing past disasters, he referred to Chernobyl and Fukushima and discussed scientific studies on environmental resilience.

"We are aware of incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, both nuclear accidents that demonstrated the scale of damage possible. At the same time, research has shown that over the years, various organisms and biological systems adapted and evolved in those environments. This raises important scientific questions about resilience and survival under extreme conditions."

Pointing to emerging global health threats, he said, "More recently, reports emerged of the Hantavirus being detected on cruise ships, resulting in three deaths among around 150 people. Fortunately, it was not transmissible from human to human. However, outbreaks such as avian flu, Ebola, dengue fever, and the Zika virus in different parts of the world have alarmed all of us.

Developments in 2025 and 2026 also indicate an intensified regulatory focus on industrial chemicals used in the food industry, as well as on precursor chemicals that may be diverted for illicit drug production. There are concerns regarding narcotics and other substances being trafficked for anti-social purposes."

On regulatory frameworks, he said India is actively monitoring dual-use technologies.

Singh stated, "In India, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade regulates and monitors the export of dual-use items that can be used for civilian purposes as well as potentially misused in weapons of mass destruction. Through the SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) framework, DRDO has been entrusted with the responsibility of determining whether specific equipment or processes fall under these controlled categories. We have observed that such requests are increasing significantly in both frequency and volume."

Adding that technological access has expanded significantly in the digital age, he said, "Today, because of the internet and the dark web, access to emerging and advanced technologies has become highly democratised. These technologies are now accessible to a much wider community. Regulations and conventions alone may not be sufficient to restrict the dangers arising from such developments. Therefore, CBRN threats must be recognised as a critical dimension of contemporary security challenges for all stakeholders in India and across the world." (ANI)