Proposed Advanced Biological Defence Research Centre will focus on dangerous viruses, its effect on humans and come up with safeguards and develop equipment to fight them

The Defence Research Development Establishment (DRDE) will set up an advanced biological defence lab to study viruses dangerous to humans, according to news agency PTI. The lab will set up at Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior.

DRDE Director Dr Manmohan Parida said the proposed Advanced Biological Defence Research Centre (ABDRC) will focus on dangerous viruses, its effect on humans and come up with safeguards and develop equipment to fight them.

He said defence labs are working hard to make India self-reliant and society is getting benefited by it. The DRDE's laboratory, he added, has already provided defence to the Army to fend off nuclear and chemical warfare.

"The new ABDRC laboratory with the help of artificial intelligence and cyber techniques will develop ways to repel virus attacks instantly. ABDRC is going to be of Bio Safety Level (BSL) – 4, which very few countries have right now," Parida was quoted as saying by PTI.

The DRDE laboratory has been successful in equipping T-90 tanks with the means to ward off nuclear, chemical and biological attacks, adding that "even Israel and Egypt have evinced keen interest in our products", Parida said.

The senior official said that amid the coronavirus outbreak, the DRDE has come up with top quality sanitisers, N -95 masks and PPE kits, while a lamp kit for PCR test developed recently has shown encouraging initial results.

He said his organisation will join hands with IITs and universities to enhance its role in biological defence, as well as to foster scientific temper and promote research for the benefit of people.