Lt. Gen. Saini Flags Threat Of Bioweapons
![Lt Gen S.K. Saini](/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lt_gen_sk_saini.png)
While countries are struggling to rein in the virus, โcertain countriesโ have seized the opportunity to extend their influence militarily, economically and politically, which does not augur well for the world community, said Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Saini on Wednesday.
Virtually addressing participants at the โNational Defence Course Bangladesh on post-COVID-19 security challengesโ, he said that โfuture wars may gravitate towards zero cost wars, wherein a very virulent pathogen may immobilise high-technology arsenalโ.
He said that โweaker militaries will continue to seek an asymmetric advantage in an unrestricted warfare milieuโ while โsocial media will continue to be the vector of choice for the battle of narrativesโ.
On the impact of the pandemic, Lt. Gen. Saini said that strategic security of most nations has been impacted due to reduction in funds for military capabilities and projects since vast sums of money have been diverted for urgent health requirements. โMany countries fuelled by ultra-nationalism are experiencing an accelerated process of de-globalisation leading to the closing of borders for the movement of goods, people, services and even ideas,โ he remarked on the trend of โde-globalisationโ.
Talking of the impact of COVID-19 on the military, Lt. Gen. Saini said โforce sustainment is a challenge due to delays in delivery schedules owing to production halts and workforce disruptionsโ and called for โtechnology-enabled solutions for integrated identification, control and management of such threatsโ.
He emphasised that โmilitaries of the region must evolve a defence cooperation plan since they will become the first responders during such health disastersโ. Lt. Gen. Saini had attended the National Defence College Bangladesh in 2011.