Description

India has launched a nationwide civil defence initiative aimed at strengthening its readiness to respond to potential external threats, particularly in light of recent escalations in regional tensions. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued directives to all States and Union Territories to carry out a comprehensive civil defence drill from May 7 to May 9, 2025. This large-scale exercise is designed to simulate wartime conditions, including aerial attack scenarios, emergency evacuations, blackout protocols, and other vital passive defence operations, with a special focus on 244 strategically vulnerable districts.

The latest civil defence campaign follows the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. This incident significantly strained Indo-Pakistani relations, prompting India to take several diplomatic and defensive steps. Among them was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the revocation of Pakistani visas. Against this tense geopolitical backdrop, the Centre has prioritized strengthening civil defence mechanisms to protect citizens and infrastructure during potential conflict scenarios.

Key Details Of Civil Defence Drill

• Dates of Exercise - May 7–9, 2025

• Coverage Area - 244 identified high-risk districts, particularly those in border regions such as Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

• Participants - Over 4 lakh civil defence volunteers, State Police forces, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), School and college students

• Coordinated By - Directorate General of Civil Defence under MHA

Main Components Of Civil Defence Exercise

• Activation of air-raid sirens and crash blackout operations

• Civilian evacuation simulations in urban and border villages

• Camouflaging of strategic government buildings and installations

• Establishment of communication channels with the Indian Air Force

• Operationalization of emergency control rooms and hotlines

• Trench and underground bunker inspections and readiness checks

• Role-play by wardens and local disaster response teams

Importance Of Initiative

• Strategic Preparedness: Enhances India’s passive defence capabilities in light of mounting cross-border hostilities.

• Historical Context: Revives practices first adopted during the 1962 Indo-China war to safeguard the civilian population.

• Public Awareness: Educates citizens on survival tactics, emergency responses, and the importance of civil defence systems.

• Infrastructure Resilience: Helps local governments test and strengthen emergency infrastructures such as bunkers and communication hubs.

Recent Developments Leading To Drill

• May 1, 2025: Civil defence rehearsals took place near the International Border in Arnia sector, Jammu.

• May 4, 2025: Punjab’s Ferozepur district conducted a 30-minute lights-out blackout exercise as part of readiness training.

• High-Level Meetings: Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted security reviews with Defence Secretary and NSA Ajit Doval, signaling the Centre’s urgency in ramping up preparedness efforts.

Policy Backdrop

The revival of civil defence efforts had been under discussion since the 2022 Chintan Shivir a key brainstorming conference of internal security officials held in Surajkund, Haryana. At the time, officials had recommended renewed focus on grassroots-level readiness to counter both natural and man-made disasters, including hostile attacks.

India’s renewed civil defence push reflects not just a tactical response to immediate threats, but a long-term strategy aimed at embedding a culture of preparedness and resilience among its citizens and institutions.

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