Dr Ram Athavale is a CBRN expert who teaches the subject at the University of Rome. He has also been an advisor to EU CBRN Risk Management Mitigation Centres of Excellence, besides being a key advisor to the Government of India on CBRN security. Excerpts of an interview with Dr Athavale:
Q. What is a CBRN threat
A. It stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear security or threats. In the earlier days the term was NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical). During the Gulf War the new term coined by Americans was Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Post 9/11 people feared terrorists trying to use CBRN. Therefore, the concept of radiological bombs or devices or later commonly called ‘Dirty Bombs’ also came about. The development and acquisition of these weapons by terrorist organisations changed the term from NBC changed to CBRN. About 2 decades ago this subject was purely in the military domain. Post-9/11 it began covering civil defence, internal security, etc. CBRN then encompassed other threats like chemical accidents in an industry like Bhopal gas tragedy, Vizag last year, Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident or the Fukushima radiation accident in Japan. Hazards from biological materials are SARS, MERS, Swine flu, Ebola epidemics in Africa and coronavirus pandemic. CBRN not just talks about nuclear weapons or weaponisation, it covers natural (diseases, environmental issues), accidental to manmade and warfare-related threats such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Syria.
Q. CBRN attacks in the world have had a huge impact. How lethal are they?
A. CBRN substances are highly toxic whether they are biological pathogens, radiation emitting substances or hazardous chemicals in industry. These substances cause health hazards to humans, animals and plants. Even milligrams of these substances can cause death. The effect will differ depending on the type of agent, its intensity and mode of usage. In chemical agents the effect is immediate. A lot of them are very volatile and not so persistent and therefore largely short lived. A chemical agent will not contaminate other people unless the chemical agent is present with him. A bioagent takes time to manifest. Depending on the incubation period, the manifestation periods and the virulence of that agent, people will develop symptoms of different kinds which may take a few hours to 10-20 days for manifestation. A contagious type of bioagent will be very difficult to control. A bioagent goes on and on till vaccine is found or herd immunity is generated or innate immunity is strong. Radiation affects silently. Starts showing its effect only when the organs start getting affected after some time of exposure. It has no sound or colour. Intense radiation will start causing discomfort, internal injuries, skin burns, etc. Each agent is highly deadly.
Modern CBRN warfare began with Word War I when Germany used tons of chemical weapons on allied forces when thousands of tons of chlorine, phosgene, sulphur mustard (a blister agent) were used extensively. But the nerve agents came up mostly post-WW2 wherein most countries who were researching on this subject developed nerve agents in a big manner. Even bioagents are being researched and developed. And today nerve agents are one of the most feared agents as far as chemical warfare is concerned. As of today, going by the reports, there are still about 17-18 countries which could be having chemical and biological warfare agents.
There are reports of ISIS and Al Qaeda using chemical weapons in Syria. Many terror organisations have shown interest in CBRN weapons. From mass casualties we are now witnessing assassination attempts with CBRN agents like Alexander Litvinenko (Polonium), Kim Jong-Nam (VX nerve agent), Sergei and Julia Skripal and recently Alexei Navalny (Novichok nerve agent). CBRN technologies are multiplying as we talk today.
Q. Is there a CBRN security paradigm internationally. Do you see a possibility of a nuclear attack?
A. There are international protocols under the UN umbrella against the use of CBRN weapons. Signatory states are banned from developing, stocking, using and trading any of these and even associated dual use materials. We already have the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the recently enacted Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC). So, a state using CBRN weapons in open conflict is doubtful. But nothing stops terrorists from using these weapons. Crowded places, critical infrastructure and high visibility events are most vulnerable. As far as nuclear weapons, two of our immediate neighbours do pose a threat. But nuclear weapons today have become more of a deterrence tool than an actual weapon for the battlefield.
Q. Do we have a strategy or doctrine in place for CBRN security in India?
A. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the official body for CBRN consequence management in India. We do have nodal ministries; for Chemicals it is MoEFCC, Bio and health it is MoHFW, and the DAE manages radiation and nuclear matters. However, we don’t yet have a comprehensive national CBRN security strategy. There is little related to CBRN under the national security or internal security paradigm. India has many laws dealing with various aspects of CBRN from production, stockpiling, transportation, illegal use, smuggling, waste products, by-products, imports and exports. We need to look at CBRN security in totality, i.e from crisis prevention to consequence management since CBRN intelligence and counter proliferation is an important aspect of concern.
Q. Do defence forces train their soldiers for CBRN security and threat?
A. Yes, the defence forces have been training and equipping for CBRN defence since the early 1980s. Our armed forces have developed a good amount of research and expertise in this field.
Q. How can we prepare ourselves for CBRN threats?
A. First, the government needs to look at CBRN threats from the national security perspective and develop a comprehensive CBRN security strategy covering threat analysis, prevention strategy, management and response mechanism. Sound intelligence and strict enforcement are very important. Much work has been done in the radiological and biological fields. Our lesser explored area is chemical management and we need to work on this post haste. India has an emerging state-of-the-art CBRN industry which needs necessary empowerment.
For the people, raising awareness and enhancing civic responsibility is most essential. Savitribai Phule Pune University Pune is one that has a dedicated post-graduate diploma on CBRN Protection and National Security.