MHA Directs States to Hold Civil Defence Mock Drills on May 7

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed multiple states across India to conduct large-scale civil defence mock drills on May 7. The drills are aimed at testing emergency preparedness and strengthening public resilience in the face of potential hostile threats.

The directive follows the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and one local resident. The brutal assault has severely strained diplomatic ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, prompting India to adopt a more aggressive posture both diplomatically and militarily.

Nationwide Drills to Simulate Emergency Scenarios

According to MHA officials, the May 7 civil defence exercise will cover a wide range of critical response measures:

• Air Raid Warning Systems: Sirens will be tested for operational efficiency to ensure immediate public alerts in case of aerial threats.

• Civilian and Student Training: Citizens, including school and college students, will receive instruction in basic civil defence tactics to enhance self-protection in hostile situations.

• Crash Blackout Protocols: Authorities will simulate total power outages to reduce visibility during hypothetical air raids, a measure critical to urban defence.

• Camouflage of Strategic Infrastructure: Key government installations and vital public utilities will undergo mock camouflaging to test readiness against surveillance and aerial strikes.

• Evacuation Drills: Updated evacuation plans will be rehearsed to ensure orderly and efficient relocation of civilians in emergency zones.

The MHA has emphasized the need for seamless coordination between local administrations, educational institutions, and civil defence units to ensure the efficacy of the nationwide drills.

A Region on Edge

The call for heightened civil preparedness comes as India and Pakistan enter a new phase of confrontation. In response to the Pahalgam massacre, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled senior Pakistani diplomats, and closed major border crossings. Pakistan, denying involvement in the attack, has retaliated by suspending the Simla Agreement, closing its airspace to Indian carriers, and halting all bilateral trade.

Sporadic military engagements along the Line of Control (LoC) have intensified, with nightly exchanges of fire reported from multiple sectors. International airlines have begun rerouting flights to avoid the increasingly volatile Indo-Pak air corridor, and both nations have put their armed forces on heightened alert.