Echoes of 1971: India Revives Wartime Mock Drills After 53 Years Amid Rising Tensions After Deadly Pahalgam Terror Attack

India will conduct a nationwide civil defence mock drill on May 7, 2025. The exercise, ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), comes in the wake of heightened tensions along the border with Pakistan following the gruesome April 22 terror attack at the Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. However, this is not the first time. It was during the 1971 Indo-Pak war when such a nationwide civil defence exercise was held for the first time. 

As the country tests its wartime preparedness, the central government has directed all states to participate in this large-scale operation to aid civilian readiness in case of potential hostile attacks.

What will happen on May 7?

Air raid sirens will sound across 244 districts and the drill will replicate crisis scenarios such as missile strikes, aerial bombardment, and blackouts. 

Evacuation drills will test the movement of people from high-risk zones to safer areas, while camouflage exercises will be carried out at vital infrastructure such as power plants, communication hubs, and military installations.

Why Mock Drills?

According to the MHA advisory, the mock drills are part of a nationwide exercise to assess the operational readiness of civil defence systems. The initiative will span 244 out of 259 civil defence-designated towns and districts, classified into three categories:

Category 1: 13 towns/districts
Category 2: 201 towns/districts
Category 3: 45 towns/districts

What will happen during Mock Drills?

During the drills, the following civil defence measures will be tested and rehearsed:

1. Operationalisation of air raid warning sirens

2. Training of Civilians, Students, etc. on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of hostile attacks

3. Provision of Crash Blackout Procedures 

4. Provision of early Camouflaging of Vital plants/Installations 

5. Updation on evacuation plan and its rehearsals

This exercise will involve local administrations, police, civil defence volunteers, and trained personnel from disaster response teams.

The Home Ministry has instructed state authorities to ensure public participation, especially involving students and civilians, to foster awareness and readiness. 

Who will participate in May 7 Mock Drill?

Civil Defence personnel, Home Guards, NCC cadets, students, and volunteers will engage in the drills. Schools, colleges, offices, and community centres will host civil defence training sessions to teach basic survival skills such as taking shelter, administering first aid, and responding calmly during emergencies.

Nationwide Mock Drill: 1971 Flashback

Do you know that the May 7 drill is deeply symbolic. The last nationwide civil defence exercise of this scale occurred more than five decades ago during the buildup to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. At that time, similar preparedness drills were conducted to train civilians for war-like scenarios.