International relations
WHO Pandemic Agreement
GS2 International organisations and health diplomacyGS3 Health securityPrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 25 September 2026, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava spoke for India at the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York. She sought a fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system under the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
- What it is
- The WHO Pandemic Agreement is a global accord, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025, to improve prevention, preparedness and response to future pandemics. It was negotiated after the COVID-19 experience exposed gaps in equity and cooperation. Its operational core, the PABS annex on sharing pathogens and their benefits, was still under negotiation at the time of this meeting.
- Adoption
- The WHO Pandemic Agreement was adopted in May 2025.
- PABS system
- Countries giving pathogens and biological resources should get timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and technologies, with national sovereignty respected. The PABS annex is still being negotiated.
- India's COVID-19 supply
- India supplied 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries and two UN entities, and gave medical help to over 150 countries.
- International Health Regulations
- The WHO chief cited amendments to the International Health Regulations as part of the stronger global health security architecture.
- India's ask on digital tools
- India wants digital public infrastructure recognised as a global public good.
Don’t confuse with Pandemic Agreement vs International Health Regulations: The Pandemic Agreement is a new WHO instrument adopted in 2025. The IHR are the older binding rules on health emergencies, now amended.
International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.
Why it matters
- Gives a framework for fair access to vaccines and diagnostics, which the COVID-19 period lacked.
- Lets India, a major vaccine maker, press Global South concerns on equity and sovereignty.
Problems
- PABS annex negotiations are unfinished, and delay weakens the agreement's ability to work in a future pandemic.
- Balancing pathogen-sharing duties of source countries with benefit-sharing duties of manufacturers is contested.
Way forward
- Conclude the PABS annex with timely, predictable benefit sharing and respect for sovereignty.
- Back the agreement with domestic financing, laboratory networks, workforce and surveillance capacity.
Put in your answer
India's vaccine supply: Use India's COVID-19 supply of 300 million doses to about 100 countries as an example of vaccine diplomacy and Global South solidarity.
One Earth, One Health: Cite India's stated principle of 'One Earth, One Health' as the base of its health diplomacy.
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q9Critically examine WHO's role in global health security during Covid-19.
- 2021Mains GS4 · Q10Discuss India's multiple strategies to control COVID-19 transmission among its population.
- 2023Prelims Q79Statements on Biodiversity Management Committees and Nagoya Protocol access and benefit sharing.
- 2022Prelims Q39Statements on COVID-19 vaccine platforms: Covishield, Sputnik V, COVAXIN.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: WHO agreement is a lasting international topic, but the release is a speech with no new provision or decision. International items are 19% of news-linked Prelims questions.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.