India has initiated "Operation Abhyaas," a nationwide civil defense mock drill conducted on May 7, 2025, across 244 districts. This large-scale exercise, coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), aims to enhance the country's emergency preparedness and civilian resilience in the face of potential threats.
The drill is a response to rising national security concerns and heightened tensions with neighboring Pakistan, particularly after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. "Operation Abhyaas" is the most extensive exercise of its kind since the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
"Operation Abhyaas" includes a series of activities designed to simulate real-world emergency scenarios. These activities include the activation of air raid sirens, implementation of blackout protocols, execution of evacuation drills, and public training sessions on safety measures. In Delhi, 60 air raid sirens were activated at 4:00 PM, signaling the start of the drill across 55 locations. Authorities in Delhi carried out mock drills at 55 locations in the city as part of the exercise. Haryana asked the public to participate by turning off their household lights from 7:50 pm to 8:00 pm.
The mock drills involve the participation of various stakeholders, including civil defense volunteers, police officers, rescue teams, and bureaucrats. Additionally, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) volunteers, along with school and college students, are actively involved in the exercise. The Directorate of Education instructed schools to submit detailed reports with photos, to build a lasting culture of safety and civic responsibility among students.
Major cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, are participating in "Operation Abhyaas". In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Government, in collaboration with the Indian Army and Mumbai Police, is executing drills across key locations, simulating wartime scenarios with sirens, blackouts, and safety protocols. Mock drills were also conducted at railway stations like Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), where Civil Defence teams simulated responses to bomb threats, medical emergencies, crowd management, and coordinated evacuations. In Hyderabad, the mock drill took place between 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM within the Outer Ring Road limits, engaging 12 civil defense services, including police, fire, rescue, medical, and municipal departments.
The 244 districts where "Operation Abhyaas" is being conducted are classified into three categories based on the required level of civil defense program implementation. Category I districts require full implementation, while Category II and Category III districts require partial implementation in varying degrees.
The nationwide mock drill, codenamed 'Operation Abhyaas,' is being conducted at 244 locations across India to assess preparedness for emerging and complex threats. The drills help assess the response to emergency events such as air raids, blackouts, and evacuations.
