Civil Defence Mock Drills Under Operation Shield Begins in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana

As per an official order from the Government of India, Civil Defence mock drills are being conducted in states and Union Territories along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC), including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Chandigarh, under Operation Shield.

Visuals from the site of mock drills in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, Doda, Kishtwar, Punjab’s Amritsar, Akhnoor, Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, Tonk, Bikaner, Kota, Haryana's Charkhi Dadri, Chandigarh gives a glimpse into the operation.

BSF DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore said that the purpose behind the operation was to make citizens aware of rescue operations in a crisis-hit situation.

"Mock drill is happening in the border states across the country. Its main objective is that our citizens know how to carry out rescue operations if such a situation arises. Whether it is Operation Sindoor or normal days, our mutual relations, whether with the civil administration, the Army or the Air Force, are on one grid. Whenever there is any such requirement, we stand for each other," he said.

Mukhtar Ahmad, SDM, Akhnoor reiterated the same point saying,  "This is a mock drill. We recently saw a border shelling here. We wanted to raise awareness about this. If such an incident happens...people should be ready..."

Regarding the mock drills being conducted across Punjab, Commandant Jaskaran Singh said, “This is to review how all the civil defence departments coordinate with each other. Several districts are at higher risk as they share a border with Pakistan — such as Amritsar, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Firozpur, and Fazilka. Conducting such exercises ensures that maximum administrative preparedness is in place during a war-like situation. It teaches people how to stay safe at home during air strikes and drone attacks, how to remain indoors, and how to protect themselves during blackouts. This is Operation Shield.”

Speaking about the mock drills conducted at the DC office in Srinagar, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat stated, “As per the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), under Operation Shield, a Civil Defence mock drill was conducted today. We have also conducted the mock drill in Srinagar — this is part of the general protocol.”

During the civil defence exercise, held on May 7, authorities identified critical gaps in civil defence preparedness in vulnerable areas of the country. Necessary instructions were issued to address these shortcomings, leading to the invocation of emergency powers and funding arrangements through the SDRF.

Security has been heightened along the border areas following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and India's subsequent retaliation to it under Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.

Also Read: Operation Shield Update: Civil Defence Mock Drills Now On May 31. How It Will Be Executed