India is conducting war-time emergency procedures today in 244 districts, with blackouts and sirens from 4 PM.
With political tensions rising after the recent Pahalgam terror attack, India is today, May 7, 2025, carrying out a huge countrywide mock drill under the codename Operation Abhyas. This huge war-readiness exercise is to prepare civilians and authorities for possible conflict situations, particularly with neighboring Pakistan.
What Is Operation Abhyas?
Operation Abhyas is a simulated war exercise launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as part of a national exercise to simulate India’s civil defense system against air attacks, evacuations, and rescue operations in emergency situations.
The drill covers 244 Civil Defence Districts, with emphasis on air raid drills, district blackouts, and emergency response exercises. This program is one of the central elements of the Integrated Response System (IRS), aimed at enhancing national readiness in case of large-scale emergencies or wartime situations.
The drill, according to MHA, will enhance public awareness, enhance coordination between emergency services, and check communication systems in rural as well as urban areas.
Timing and Locations of the Mock Drill
National Start Time: 4 PM IST, May 7, 2025
Although the mock drills begin nationally at 4 PM, timings and procedures slightly differ from state to state and city to city:
- Delhi
- Drill Timing: 4 PM to 7 PM
- Activities: Simulated full-scale evacuations, air raid alarm, and blackout drills.
- Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
- Timing: 4 PM
- Venue: Reserve Police Lines
- Note: Drill rescheduled from previous timing, confirmed by SSP B. Murthy.
- Uttar Pradesh, Bareilly
- Blackout Time: 8 PM to 8:10 PM
- Instructions: DM Avinash Singh urges citizens to turn off all light sources, inverter, and refrain from usage of phones and flashlights.
- Kerala
- 14 districts involved.
- Start Time: 4 PM
- Details: Synchronized exercise in urban as well as rural areas, in all districts together.
- Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- Air Raid Drill: Kotha Jalaripeta at 4 PM
- Blackout: Oxygen Towers and Kotha Jalaripeta at 7 PM
- Activity: Testing the evacuation and air raid warning signal.
- Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- Sirens and Hooters: 4 PM
- Important Places: Dhara Police Chowki, District Magistrate Complex, and 3 other busy locations.
- Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu
- Places: Madras Atomic Power Station & Chennai Port Trust
- Time Slot: 4 PM to 4:30 PM
- Objective: Simulation of nuclear emergency procedures and quick evacuation procedures.
Why This Drill Matters Now?
After heightened cross-border tensions and the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian government is escalating its preparations for worst-case situations. These exercises assist in testing:
- Civic consciousness and response
- Intelligence passing between departments
- Readiness of infrastructure against blackouts
- Emergency rescue and medical care
The exercise is also a public show of national solidarity and preparedness. By covering everything from metro sirens to village drills, the government is making sure that no corner of the country remains unprepared.
Public Advisory for Today
Authorities have urged citizens to:
- Follow official instructions during sirens and blackouts.
- Cooperate with local emergency services.
- Avoid spreading misinformation during drills.
- Turn off all electrical appliances when instructed.
Officials stressed that this is only a drill, and citizens should remain calm but alert.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Civil Defense
This simulated drill is not an isolated exercise. It is the harbinger of a larger initiative on the part of the MHA to restart civil defense training, facilitate state-level coordination, and prepare India to deal with both man-made and natural disasters.
The MHA has announced intentions to hold such simulations every three months in the future, upgraded technology such as mobile alerts, drone monitoring, and AI-enabled crowd management tools.
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