New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has asked all states to conduct mock drills across the 244 categorised civil defence districts on Wednesday (May 7) in view of “new and complex threats” that have emerged in the “current geo-political scenario”.
On May 7, air raid sirens will be heard across multiple locations in India as part of a major nationwide civil defence mock drill.
Last conducted in 1971 during the Indo-Pak war, this drill now aims at preparing the civilians for emergency scenarios such as war or hostile attacks.
The mock drills will be held at over 250 locations across 33 states and union territories, including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Goa.
The order came after a series of high-level meetings by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss India’s retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people on April 22.
The order also came hours after Pakistan conducted its second missile firing test in two days under “Exercise INDUS” amid rising tensions with India.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the successful test launch “made it clear that Pakistan’s defence is in strong hands.”
The following activities will be carried out during the May 7 mock drills:
Air raid sirens and communication checks: Air Raid Warning Sirens will be sounded to simulate an imminent attack. Hotline/Radio Communication Links with the Indian Air Force will be activated to assess coordination readiness.
Control room readiness: Control rooms and shadow control rooms will be tested for functionality and communication capabilities. Officials will check how swiftly and efficiently these centres can respond to a simulated emergency.
Training for civilians and students: Civilians, including school and college students, will be trained in basic civil defence techniques. This includes learning how to take shelter, respond to sirens, and follow evacuation procedures in the event of an air raid or attack.
Crash blackout measures: Cities will simulate a blackout, turning off lights to avoid detection by enemy aircraft during an attack. This includes measures to conceal visibility from aerial surveillance or drone strikes.
Camouflaging critical infrastructure: Vital plants and installations—such as power stations, communication towers, and fuel depots—will be prepared for early-stage camouflaging. This involves using nets, covers, and natural surroundings to mask them from hostile surveillance.
Evacuation rehearsals: Authorities will update and rehearse evacuation plans for high-risk zones.Public shelters such as bunkers and trenches will be cleaned and made ready. Civil Defence Services, including wardens, fire services, rescue teams, and depot managers, will be mobilized to assess operational preparedness.
The government outlined several key objectives behind the exercise: to assess the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, to test communication links and coordination with the Indian Air Force, to evaluate the readiness of control rooms and emergency response systems, to train civilians and young students on survival techniques during hostile scenarios, to implement crash blackouts and camouflage protocols for strategic assets, to verify the functionality and mobilisation of Civil Defence services and to review the implementation of evacuation plans and prepare public shelters.
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The Home Ministry’s order also said the exercise is expected to involve the active participation of district controllers, local authorities, civil defence wardens, volunteers, home guards (both active and reserve), members of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and college and school students.
