In a concerted effort to strengthen national security and civil preparedness, mock drills under ‘Operation Shield’ will be carried out today (Saturday) across multiple Indian states and Union Territories that share borders with Pakistan.
The drills, scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m., will take place in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, and Chandigarh. These exercises are focused on regions closest to the international border and Line of Control (LoC), where the risk of cross-border threats remains high.
Originally planned for May 29, the drills were rescheduled due to administrative reasons. A government press release issued that day confirmed the new date and stressed the significance of these drills in enhancing on-ground readiness and addressing gaps identified during previous nationwide exercises held on May 7.
‘Operation Shield’ is a civil defence initiative designed to simulate hostile scenarios, including air raid sirens, blackout protocols, and coordinated emergency responses. The goal is to assess and improve the preparedness of local authorities, emergency services, and civilian populations in handling potential external threats.
In some vulnerable areas of Punjab, complete blackouts will be enforced during the drill, sparing only critical services such as hospitals and emergency response units. Sirens will alert residents, followed by mock emergency responses to test coordination and community response under pressure.
Officials have indicated that shortcomings identified during earlier drills highlighted the need for follow-up operations, particularly in sensitive districts along the border.
These drills are being held alongside ongoing efforts under Operation Sindoor—a broader, multi-agency security framework aimed at safeguarding vital infrastructure and enhancing threat response across northern India. Launched earlier this year, Operation Sindoor includes intelligence-sharing, joint patrols, and infrastructure audits in high-risk areas, working in tandem with initiatives like Operation Shield to bolster India’s overall security posture.
Together, these efforts reflect the government’s commitment to enhancing civil defence capabilities and ensuring better inter-agency coordination, public awareness, and community-level readiness in the face of both man-made and natural crises.
