New Delhi, May 28: In a major step to enhance national preparedness against external threats, the Government of India has announced the launch of a comprehensive civil defence mock drill, titled Operation Shield, which will be conducted on Thursday, May 29. The exercise will be simultaneously held across all districts in states and Union Territories that share India’s western border—ranging from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Gujarat in the west.
The Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence, and Home Guards, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has issued directives to the administrations of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to conduct this crucial simulation exercise. The primary focus of the drill is to assess and bolster preparedness for handling various forms of aerial threats such as enemy air raids, drone intrusions, and missile attacks.
According to official communication, all participating states and UTs have been instructed to commence the exercise from 1700 hours onwards on Thursday, involving the complete local civil administration and all relevant stakeholders. The drill will simulate realistic wartime scenarios to ensure readiness at every level—from policy coordination to grassroots-level execution.
This will be the second national civil defence exercise in recent weeks. The first such exercise was held on May 7, just hours before India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision retaliatory strike on multiple terror launch pads located across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). That exercise, conducted nationwide, revealed significant preparedness gaps in several vulnerable areas. Following its completion, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued corrective instructions on May 9 and invoked emergency powers to expedite civil defence readiness through State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) funding.
Operation Shield aims to address these deficiencies and provide a comprehensive simulation of response mechanisms in case of real-time aerial or cross-border threats. Civil defence authorities have outlined several key components for the mock drill:
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- Activation of centrally controlled air raid sirensin vulnerable zones
- Implementation of total blackout measuresin civilian-populated areas
- Silent and general recall of civil defence wardens and volunteers
- Evacuation of familiesresiding near a designated military station in anticipation of a drone attack
- Deployment of emergency medical teamsand logistics support for blood unit transportation
The exercise will also engage local youth and volunteers from organizations such as the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Bharat Scouts & Guides, who will assist civil defence teams in implementing emergency procedures and manning critical services.
This drill comes in the wake of escalated tensions along the western front, following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 innocent lives. In response, the Indian defence forces conducted Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terrorist launch sites in Pakistan and PoK. The operation led to a four-day border skirmish during which Pakistan retaliated with heavy cross-border shelling and attempted drone and missile attacks along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).
Sources said the purpose of Operation Shield is not only to test ground-level readiness but also to foster coordination among multiple departments during emergencies. It will act as a nationwide readiness template for confronting future hostilities, ensuring that both civilians and authorities are trained to respond swiftly and effectively.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reiterated that such exercises are essential in the current geo-political environment and emphasized that Operation Shield should be treated with utmost seriousness by all concerned departments and local administrations.