India To Conduct Border-Wide Emergency Drills Under Operation Shield; Blackouts Planned

India is set to carry out large-scale emergency preparedness drills on Thursday across its northern and western border states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir, as part of Operation Shield, a nationwide initiative launched by the Centre.

Punjab will conduct its drills separately on 3 June, according to an official release.

The coordinated simulation aims to test the administrative and civilian readiness in the event of emergencies such as air strikes or bombings.

The drills will include full-scale simulations to assess the effectiveness of control rooms, air raid alert systems, and the performance of civil defence units.

These include:

• Firefighting,
• Rescue operations,
• Evacuation strategies, and
• Warden responsibilities

As part of the protocol, sirens will be activated, and all emergency systems will undergo rigorous evaluation under strict oversight.

In Rajasthan, the Civil Defence Department has begun issuing directives to districts, especially those bordering Pakistan.

Jodhpur District Collector Gaurav Agarwal confirmed that a drill will take place in Jodhpur on Thursday, though the exact time remains undisclosed.

Gujarat will hold mock drills in every district, simulating air attack scenarios at multiple locations.

The state government has also opened volunteer registrations on its official portal for those interested in joining civil defence efforts.

Evening blackouts are likely part of the exercise.

Officials have encouraged residents to participate and cooperate fully.

In Haryana, a complete blackout will take place at key and sensitive locations, excluding emergency services.

This will begin at 8 PM and last until 8:15 PM.

These drills follow Operation Abhyas, a nationwide emergency exercise conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 7 May.

On the same day, India launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation resulted in the destruction of nine major terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating over 100 militants.

Officials stress that such mock drills are essential for evaluating and strengthening coordination among administrative units and civil defence bodies during high-risk situations.

The blackout component, a key part of wartime defence exercises, is to obscure visible light sources, making it harder for enemy aircraft to identify and target key infrastructure—enhancing preparedness under the cover of darkness.

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