Nationwide security drills at 4pm today: India to simulate air raids, blackouts cross cities

A nationwide mock drill is set to take place today at 4pm in various cities across India. The exercise is intended to test the country’s disaster response capabilities and prepare local authorities for emergency situations.

Here’s all you need to know:

Bengaluru
The Karnataka fire and emergency department will conduct a series of mock drills as part of ‘Operation Abhyaas,’ following directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in response to the increased tensions with Pakistan, after the Pahalgam terror attack.

These drills will begin at 4pm today at the fire and emergency headquarters in Ulsoor. Other districts such as Uttara Kannada, Raichur, Mysuru and Mandya will follow later this week.

The MHA instructed all states to conduct drills in 244 high-risk districts across the country, divided into three categories based on their vulnerability. The exercise will focus on emergency preparedness, including handling air raids, fire emergencies, evacuations, casualty management, and more. Over 5,000 individuals trained in civil defense will participate in the Bengaluru drill.

Mumbai
In Mumbai, air raid sirens will go off at 60 locations across the city at 4pm, signaling the start of the nationwide mock security drills. This will be followed by a 5-minute blackout at certain locations. Civil defense personnel, home guards, and volunteers will assemble at designated locations to assess readiness for a potential war-like situation.

The drill aims to gauge how well the city can handle an emergency involving air strikes, evacuations, and casualties. Simultaneous drills are planned across Maharashtra, with over 10,000 civil defense volunteers participating in various locations, including Raigad, Nashik, Pune, and Jalgaon. The exercise will also help refine rescue operations and improve the state’s disaster response capabilities.

Delhi
Delhi is set to conduct a major civil defense drill across 55 locations, simulating air strikes, blackouts, and evacuations. The drill is part of ‘Operation Abhyaas,’ designed to assess the city’s preparedness for emergency situations.

Civil Defense volunteers, along with local police, fire services, and other agencies, will play a key role. Citizens will familiarize themselves with the siren sounds and learn evacuation protocols, including identifying shelter areas such as basements and designated safe zones.

The exercise will also train school children in disaster response procedures. Officials expect the drill to test coordination across various departments and evaluate equipment readiness for a potential emergency.

Chennai
In Chennai, a mock civil defense drill will take place at the Madras Atomic Power Station and the Chennai Port Trust. The exercise will focus on handling an air raid threat and assessing the coordination of civil defense measures.

Hyderabad
Four locations in Hyderabad will host a civil defense mock drill at 4pm. It will include activating air raid sirens and training civilians on emergency protection measures during hostile attacks.

‘Air raid’ sirens will be activated at 4 pm (Incoming Air Raid) within Outer Ring Road (ORR) and there will be another activation of sirens at 4.30 pm to close the mock drill. The measures to be taken during the mock drills include the operationalisation of air-raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil-defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a “hostile attack.”

Kolkata
In Bengal, over 100 locations will undergo a civil defense drill, including air raid sirens, evacuation training, and damage control. The drills are aimed at enhancing war-readiness, and volunteers and police personnel will participate.

Other Cities
Bhopal and Indore: A civil defense drill will be conducted across multiple districts in Madhya Pradesh, including Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and others, starting at 4pm. The exercise will simulate blackouts, air raid sirens, and evacuation protocols.

Kerala: Kerala will conduct a state-wide civil defense mock drill from 4pm, involving coastal and aerial threat simulations. The exercise will test the state’s preparedness, given its significant shoreline and defense installations.

Pune: Pune will take part in Maharashtra’s civil defense exercise, marking the first use of air raid sirens in the district since the 1965 India-Pakistan War. This drill will assess how the city can respond to emergency situations like air strikes.

Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh will carry out large-scale civil defense drills in all districts to enhance emergency response capabilities. These exercises will include simulated scenarios like aerial strikes, chemical attacks, and coordinated terrorist incidents.

J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat
On Wednesday, India’s largest coordinated civil defense exercise in decades will take place across the border states of J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The exercise will involve blackouts, sirens, and evacuation drills, demonstrating the nation’s preparedness.

In Rajasthan, India will also conduct a significant air combat drill near the international border, involving advanced fighter jets like Rafales, Mirage-2000s, and Sukhoi-30MKIs, as well as support units like refueling aircraft. This follows naval drills conducted in the north Arabian Sea, showing India’s continued military readiness to counter any threats, particularly from Pakistan.

A notice to airmen (NOTAM) has been issued for a large airspace area from 3:30 pm on Wednesday to 9:30 pm on Thursday, indicating the timing of the exercise. This announcement comes as Indian and Pakistani military officials held a conversation over the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) hotline while exchanging small arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC) for the 12th consecutive night.

The air combat exercise, described by the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a “routine pre-planned training exercise,” will include day and night warfare simulations under hostile conditions, showcasing India’s high operational readiness. Various aircraft, including fighters, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles, will be deployed from different airbases, including those in Rajasthan like Jaisalmer and Suratgarh.

This air drill mirrors the Indian Navy’s recent exercises in the northern Arabian Sea, where multiple warships and advanced weaponry, including BrahMos missiles, were tested. One of the exercise zones was near the area where the Pakistan Navy had conducted its own drills.

The show of force extends from maritime to air operations, with the IAF conducting frequent combat air patrols (CAPs) amid rising tensions with Pakistan. Additionally, the number of operational readiness platforms (ORPs) at airbases along the western front has been increased.

The talks over the DGMO hotline also highlighted ongoing ceasefire violations (CFVs), with the Indian Army raising concerns about unprovoked small arms fire from Pakistan’s military along the 778-km LoC. The CFVs occurred in multiple areas, including Kupwara, Poonch, and Rajouri, with Indian troops responding promptly. While heavy weapons like artillery are not yet involved, the increase in CFVs echoes the tensions seen after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to a violent 2020 with over 5,000 CFVs recorded. A ceasefire understanding was reached in February 2021, but tensions have since escalated, threatening the fragile peace along the LoC.