IAF to Conduct Military Exercises Along Border with Pakistan

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian government is launching a coordinated show of military and civil preparedness that signals a serious readiness for conflict.

In a major development, the Indian Air Force will conduct large-scale military drills along the international border in Rajasthan starting Wednesday night. According to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued Tuesday evening, the war games will commence at 9 PM and continue until 3 AM on Friday. During this period, flight operations at airports near the border will be suspended. While the Air Force has described the exercise as a “pre-planned routine training mission,” the timing, scale, and location of the drills carry unmistakable strategic weight.

Simultaneously, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all states to carry out extensive civil defence mock drills on Wednesday across nearly 300 locations—including Delhi and Assam. These drills, aimed at ensuring rapid and effective civilian response in the event of military conflict, mark the first such national-scale exercise since the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Civil defence zones include districts with military bases or critical infrastructure like oil refineries and nuclear facilities.

The dual military-civil preparedness initiative comes against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a series of high-level security meetings. On Tuesday, PM Modi met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for the second time in as many days. He has also conferred repeatedly with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force chiefs. In one such meeting last week, the Prime Minister is believed to have granted the military “complete freedom” to plan and execute a response to the Pahalgam attack.

The July 2025 assault in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead—mostly civilians and including one Nepali national—was carried out by terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front, a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. India claims to possess incontrovertible proof of direct Pakistani involvement.

In swift retaliation, New Delhi cancelled all visas for Pakistani nationals and suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a move that affects the lifeline of Pakistan's agricultural economy, dependent on rivers covered by the pact. Islamabad responded by suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement and halting visa services for Indians. Both countries have since sealed border crossings and closed their airspaces to each other.

Meanwhile, the arms race across the border has intensified. On Monday, Pakistan test-fired its Fatah surface-to-surface missile—capable of striking targets within a 120 km range—as part of Exercise INDUS. This was the second missile test by Pakistan within 48 hours and came days after India successfully test-fired advanced underwater mines and other indigenously developed missiles equipped with cutting-edge detection capabilities.

Tensions have been further inflamed by Pakistan's sharp reaction to India’s suspension of the IWT, calling it "an act of war." Observers note that the choice of name for Pakistan’s war games—Exercise INDUS—was a deliberate and provocative reference.

India, however, remains firm. In a statement following the Pahalgam carnage, PM Modi vowed to bring the perpetrators and their handlers to justice. “Terrorism’s evil agenda will never succeed,” the Prime Minister declared, reaffirming India’s resolve to act decisively and relentlessly against terror.

As war clouds gather over the subcontinent, both nations appear locked in a dangerous escalation that could shape the region’s future. While diplomatic options have dwindled, New Delhi is signaling one clear message: India is prepared—militarily, strategically, and morally—for whatever comes next.