As tensions continue to simmer between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the Union Home Ministry has asked 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.
The civil defence exercise and rehearsal will be conducted across the 244 categorised civil defence districts, up to the village level, in India to assess and enhance the readiness of the civil defence mechanisms.
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.
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.”
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 is India planning for May 7?
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 and more.
The mock drills will be conducted across 244 categorised districts in all states and UTs.
According to the reports, the MHA has identified a total of 295 vulnerable towns/districts across the country where civil defence measures need to be implemented during peacetime.
What to expect during May 7 mock drill?
On May 7, when the mock drills are scheduled across 244 districts, the measures that the states will take include:
- Assessing the effectiveness of the air raid warning systems
- Checking the hotline and radio communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF)
- Seeing the functionality of control rooms and shadow rooms
- Training of civilians, including students, on civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack
- Implementation of crash blackout measures
- Implementing early camouflage for key installations
- Verifying the working and response of Civil Defence Services, including warden services, firefighting, rescue operations and depot management
- Assessing the preparedness of evacuation plans and their execution
Why is India conducting mock drills?
Tensions have escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. While India has vowed a strong response to the Pahalgam attackers, Islamabad has long been alleging that New Delhi was 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. Earlier, Information Minister Atta Tarar, too, had claimed that he had credible information of a military strike by India.
As tensions between the two countries run high, the Home Ministry on Monday instructed all states to carry out mock drills to evaluate defence preparedness.
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.
Source:https://www.livemint.com/news/mock-drills-in-india-explained-what-is-it-and-what-to-expect-on-may-7-all-faqs-answered-11746508481008.html