Why in news?
India’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying organised VAJRA-SAT, a national preparedness exercise for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) serotype SAT-1. This contagious livestock disease can reduce production and disrupt animal trade. The exercise took place in Bengaluru on 4–5 November 2026. The National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics helped organise it. The institute belongs to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Participants worked through simulated outbreaks to examine detection, laboratory confirmation and coordinated response. The department said SAT-1 had not been reported in India, making preparedness for its possible introduction the focus.
The livestock disease behind the exercise
FMD is a viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. A cloven hoof is divided into two main parts. The disease can cause fever and blisters in the mouth and around the feet. Affected animals may become lame, eat less and produce less milk.
The virus can spread through infected animals and contaminated equipment, clothing, buildings or transport vehicles. These connections matter when animals, people and supplies move between farms. Surveillance therefore follows both signs of illness and the routes through which infection could spread.
Why the serotype matters
A serotype is a form of a virus distinguished by how the immune system recognises it. FMD has seven serotypes: O, A, C, Asia-1, SAT-1, SAT-2 and SAT-3. The SAT names stand for Southern African Territories, reflecting the history of their identification.
The serotypes can produce similar disease, while protection against them is type-specific. Laboratory identification therefore helps determine which virus is present and informs vaccine selection. Vaccines need to match the circulating virus closely enough to provide effective protection.
The World Organisation for Animal Health reported a widening SAT-1 distribution in an August 2026 assessment. Countries reporting their first occurrences in 2026 included China and Mongolia, alongside countries in West Asia and Europe. This expansion explains why authorities elsewhere have been reviewing their readiness.
What participants test at a tabletop exercise
A tabletop exercise uses a simulated situation to examine how institutions would make decisions and coordinate their work. VAJRA-SAT brought together 83 participants from 25 states, three Union Territories and national institutions. They included animal-husbandry departments, diagnostic laboratories, veterinary universities, vaccine manufacturers and border agencies.
The discussions connected early detection with laboratory confirmation, epidemiological investigation, movement control, vaccine preparedness and risk communication. Epidemiological investigation examines the pattern of illness and possible routes of spread. Connecting these functions helps authorities organise the information, responsibilities and resources needed during a response.
From a disease signal to useful evidence
Clinical signs can alert veterinarians to a suspected case. Laboratory testing helps confirm the cause because several diseases can produce similar blisters. Rapid confirmation supports decisions about further investigation and control. Records of affected animals and their movements help investigators identify potentially exposed herds.
These tasks require continuing links between field services, laboratories and decision-makers. Risk communication helps people understand the situation and the response expected of them. Planning these connections in advance can make reporting and coordination more organised when a suspected event occurs.
Conclusion
VAJRA-SAT focused on connecting disease detection, reliable diagnosis and institutional response. That preparedness matters because animal health, farm production and the movement of livestock are closely linked.