Bio-terrorism is a real new threat which military medicine must learn to tackle, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned a gathering of military doctors from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries in New Delhi on September 12.

Terming bio-terrorism as a "contagious plague", the Defence Minister asked the armed forces to be at the forefront in combating the menace, and underlined the importance of building capacities to deal with it.

Terming bio-terrorism as a "contagious plague", the Defence Minister asked the armed forces to be at the forefront in combating the menace, and underlined the importance of building capacities to deal with it

Inaugurating the first ever conference of SCO Countries on Military Medicine, Singh said the threat of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare adds to the complexity of the existing challenges and armed forces medical services have a vital role in identifying these challenges, defining the limits of human tolerance and suggesting strategies to mitigate the adverse health effects.

Ways must be found to effectively deal with new threats posed to soldiers by the ever advancing battlefield technology, he exhorted.

This is the first military event which India is hosting for SCO countries after it became a member of this grouping in 2017.

In his address, Chief of the Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa pointed out that evolving military technology is leading to more and more complex casualties, and urged military doctors to keep pace with the fast-paced change.

Singh said the threat of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare adds to the complexity of the existing challenges and armed forces medical services have a vital role in identifying these challenges, defining the limits of human tolerance and suggesting strategies to mitigate the adverse health effects

Rajnath Singh termed SCO as the "alliance of the East" and the primary security pillar in the region. He said SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world in terms of geographical coverage and population. "SCO countries cover 22 per cent of the land mass, 40 per cent population and contribute to 20 per cent of world's GDP," he said.

The Defence Minister highlighted India's contribution to the SCO. He made a mention of its participation in military exercises in Russia along with other SCO partners. Military exercises are conducted among members regularly to promote co-operation against terrorism and other external threats, he added.

Singh also suggested co-operation among countries during disasters to ensure that timely assistance reaches those in need across international borders.