In a significant step to bolster national preparedness, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced a large-scale Civil Defence Exercise and Rehearsal to be conducted across 244 designated districts on May 7, 2025. This initiative comes amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.
According to a communication sent by the MHA to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, the nationwide mock drill aims to assess and enhance the operational readiness of Civil Defence systems at all administrative levels, including villages.
The exercise will focus on testing and improving various aspects of emergency response mechanisms, such as the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, the operational readiness of communication channels including hotlines and radio links with the Indian Air Force, and the functioning of control and shadow rooms.
It will also involve training civilians—especially students—on safety protocols during hostile attacks, implementing crash blackout measures, and camouflaging critical infrastructure. Additionally, the drill will evaluate the efficiency of Civil Defence Services in areas such as warden duties, firefighting, rescue operations, and depot management.
The Home Ministry had earlier, on May 2, issued a letter highlighting the urgent need to strengthen Civil Defence in vulnerable districts. Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla had previously written in January to state leaderships, urging them to personally oversee Civil Defence preparedness and ensure compliance with the protocols outlined in the Union War Book.
Bhalla noted that Civil Defence is a core element of India’s passive defence strategy and emphasized that it must be fully operational during peacetime in 295 identified vulnerable towns and districts. He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s emphasis on civil preparedness during the ‘Chintan Shivir’ held in Surajkund, Haryana, in 2022.
“The current level of preparedness in many vulnerable districts requires urgent attention and improvement,” Bhalla stressed in his communication. He urged state authorities to undertake a comprehensive review and implementation of Civil Defence plans to effectively respond to any emergency.
This renewed focus on civil preparedness follows the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which has significantly escalated tensions along the Indo-Pak border. The government has vowed strict action against those responsible.
