Amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the Union Home Ministry has instructed all states to carry out mock drills in view of the “new and complex threats” that have emerged lately.
The mock drills across the country will be conducted on Wednesday, May 7 to evaluate defence preparedness across India’s rural and urban areas. The mock drill will include air raid sirens, blackout protocols, and public training, with officials urging citizens to keep torches, candles, and cash ready.
The order came amid 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.
Mock Drill across 259 locations including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata
According to the reports, the MHA has identified a total of 259 vulnerable towns/districts across the country where civil defence measures need to be implemented including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Gujarat.
All states have been directed to carry out mock drills on May 7, to test the effectiveness of civil defences such as evacuation plans, radio communications, air raid warning systems, control room functions etc.
“We are reviewing preparedness. Loop holes to be rectified have been identified,” a member of the National Disaster Management Authority was quoted as saying, after the MHA meeting.
What is a Mock Drill?
A mock drill is a practice exercise to prepare people, organisations, and authorities for real-life emergency situations, such as fires, earthquakes, medical emergencies, or terrorist attacks. Through mock drills, an organisation (a country in this case) tests the effectiveness of emergency plans and identifies possible weaknesses in emergency-like situations.
What will be done under Mock Drill on May 7?
As part of the mock drill, the following measures will be undertaken:
1. Operationalisation of Air Raid Warning sirens
2. Training of civilians, students etc on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack.
3. Provision of crash black out measures.
4. Provision for early camouflaging of vital plants/installations
5. Updation of evacuation plan and its rehearsal.
As per reports, blackouts will also be practised during the May 7 mock drills.
MHA writes to chief secretaries of all states and UTs
A letter from the MHA to the chief secretaries of all states and administrators of Union territories said, “Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to organise Civil Defence Exercise and Rehearsal across 244 categorised Civil Defence Districts of the country on May 7, 2025.”
The civil defence exercise and rehearsal will be conducted across the 244 categorised civil defence districts, up to the village level to assess and enhance the readiness of the civil defence mechanisms.
Why is India conducting mock drills?
This comes at a time when tensions have risen between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Since the attack, the Indian government has pledged a strong and effective response.
In view of the “current geo-political scenario” and “new and complex threats/challenges” that have emerged, “it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times,” the letter from the Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards said.
While India has vowed a strong response to the Pahalgam attackers, (a Pakistan-based terror outfit The Resistance Front or TRF had initially claimed responsibility for the attack), Pakistan government has alleged that India is preparing a “military strike”.
“There are reports that India may strike at any point along the LoC… New Delhi will be given a befitting reply,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday. Pakistan’s Information Minister Atta Tarar had claimed last week that he had “credible information” of a military strike by India.
