India conducts largest-ever civil defence Mock Drill amid Indo-Pak tensions

As geopolitical tensions with Pakistan escalate following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India will launch its largest civil defence mock drill in decades—Operation Abhyaas, today. Covering 244 districts across the country, the exercise is being hailed as a strategic test of India’s national readiness and civilian response infrastructure in the face of potential conflict.

Civil Defence Meets Digital Preparedness

Unlike traditional drills of the past, Operation Abhyaas integrates both physical and digital layers of national defence. Air raid sirens, blackout protocols, evacuation plans, and real-time communication drills are being carried out in coordination with India's digital communication grid and critical infrastructure systems.

In cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, the drills involve simulations of aerial strikes, cyber disruptions, and coordinated emergency responses across hospitals, schools, and public transport systems. Notably, smart city command centres are being used to monitor drills in real time, with AI-based systems flagging response lags and operational gaps.

“Such drills are no longer just about civil defence. They’re about testing how our integrated emergency technologies perform under pressure,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Key Activities During the Drill:

• Air Raid Sirens: Activation of sirens to simulate incoming aerial threats.

• Blackout Simulations: Implementation of crash blackouts to mimic power outages during emergencies.

• Evacuation Drills: Rehearsals for the safe and orderly evacuation of civilians.

• Emergency Response Coordination: Testing the functionality of control rooms and communication links with the Indian Air Force.

• Public Training: Educating civilians, including students, on civil defence measures and protocols.

Public Advisory

Citizens are advised to:

• Stay Calm: Remain composed and do not panic during the drills.

• Seek Shelter: Move to designated safe areas or shelters when sirens are activated.

• Limit Phone Use: Avoid using mobile phones to keep communication lines open for emergency services.

• Follow Instructions: Adhere to guidelines and directives issued by local authorities and emergency personnel.

The drill is a proactive measure to ensure national readiness and to instill a culture of preparedness among citizens amid current geopolitical challenges.

Tech-Enabled Nationwide Coordination

The drill is coordinated through a centralized command system managed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and involves:

• Activation of control and shadow control rooms across states.

• Use of satellite communication for remote coordination.

• Involvement of over 10,000 volunteers from NCC, NSS, NYKS, and Home Guards.

• Digital dashboards tracking incident response times and system latencies.

Command centres equipped with geospatial analytics and digital alert systems simulated citywide blackouts and redirected power grids in test environments, in collaboration with energy and telecom regulators.

Civil-Military-Citizen Nexus

Operation Abhyaas marks a significant shift in how India views hybrid warfare. While military preparedness remains central, civilian readiness in digital infrastructure and behavioural protocols is being treated with equal urgency.

Public advisories were issued through government apps, Doordarshan, and social media platforms, urging citizens to treat the drill with seriousness while avoiding panic.

Strategic Messaging in a Sensitive Time

While the government has stressed that this is a routine preparedness measure, the timing and scale signal a clear message to both domestic and international audiences: India is not only alert but technologically equipped for rapid mobilization in the event of a cross-border escalation.

Cybersecurity experts note that such drills help test system redundancies and readiness for data infrastructure threats that often accompany physical attacks in modern conflict.

“Mock drills today aren’t just about sirens—they’re about cyber shields, data resiliency, and operational synchrony across critical sectors,” said Lt Gen (Retd) Vinod Bhatia, strategic affairs expert.

The Road Ahead

As the situation on the western front remains volatile, today's drill underscores India’s pivot towards a more tech-integrated national security strategy. From AI-enabled command centres to geofencing evacuation zones, India’s defence preparedness now spans the digital and the physical in equal measure.

For IT and infrastructure leaders, the takeaway is clear: civil defence in the digital age is a shared responsibility—and mock drills are the proving ground.