On May 7, 2025, India will conduct an unprecedented nationwide civil defence mock drill across 244 officially designated districts, spanning all states and union territories.

This exercise, mandated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the Civil Defence Rules, 1968, is a direct response to heightened security concerns following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives and sharply escalated tensions with Pakistan.

The drill aims to test and enhance the country’s preparedness for war-like emergencies, particularly missile strikes or aerial attacks, by involving a broad spectrum of stakeholders-local authorities, Civil Defence wardens, Home Guards, NCC, NSS, NYKS members, and students from schools and colleges.

The drill comprises five major components, each targeting a critical aspect of civil protection:

Air Raid Sirens: Sirens will be tested and activated in vulnerable urban centres and key installations. These alarms are designed to alert the public to aerial threats, providing crucial seconds for civilians to seek shelter and for emergency protocols to be triggered.

Training Civilians: Workshops and training sessions will be held in schools, offices, and community centres. Participants will learn essential survival techniques, including drop-and-cover, locating shelters, administering basic first aid, and managing stress during crises.

Crash Blackouts: Cities will simulate sudden, total blackouts by switching off all visible lights. This Cold War-era tactic, last used widely during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, aims to make urban areas less visible to enemy aircraft during potential night-time airstrikes.

Camouflage Exercises: Strategic buildings and installations such as military bases, communication towers, and power plants will be camouflaged to make them less detectable during satellite or aerial surveillance, reducing their vulnerability to targeted attacks.

Evacuation Drills: Authorities will rehearse evacuation plans by moving people from high-risk zones to designated safe areas. These dry runs are essential for identifying logistical bottlenecks and ensuring smooth, coordinated responses during real emergencies.

The MHA’s directive, issued on May 2, 2025, requires each participating state and union territory to submit an "Action Taken Report" after the exercise, detailing execution, observations, and recommendations for improvement. The drills will be closely supervised by district authorities, with ground-level operations carried out by Civil Defence wardens and Home Guards, and active participation from students and youth volunteers.

This large-scale exercise is not merely symbolic. It marks a revival of Cold War-era civil defence protocols and underscores a strategic shift: national defence now extends beyond the military to include civilian readiness. The goal is to ensure that, in the event of an actual attack, citizens know what to do, when to do it, and how to remain calm-thereby reducing panic, saving lives, and strengthening the nation’s overall resilience.

Recent blackout drills in sensitive border regions, such as Ferozepur Cantonment in Punjab, have already provided a preview of what much of the country will experience on May 7, highlighting the seriousness and urgency of this preparedness drive.

The initiative follows repeated calls from the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister since 2022 to bolster civil defence, especially in border and coastal areas, and reflects the government’s determination to be ready before a crisis strikes, not just react after one occurs.

India’s civil defence mock drill on May 7 is a comprehensive, coordinated effort to prepare the nation for emergencies, foster public awareness, and ensure that both authorities and citizens are equipped to respond swiftly and effectively to any threat.

ET News