Five states across India will conduct mock drills on Saturday as part of the nationwide exercise “Operation Shield” on May 31. It includes Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The development comes after a similar nationwide exercise was held on May 7 amid the tensions between India and Pakistan.
According to news agency ANI, the drills will include sirens, blackouts, and emergency scenarios designed to test the readiness of local authorities and citizens in case of attacks or disasters. The mock drill, according to the official sources, will begin at 5:00 PM, although the exact location in Jaisalmer district has been kept confidential for security purposes.
In Rajasthan, the exercise, mandated by the Home Department, is aimed at testing the readiness for air attack scenarios, assessing security protocols, and enhancing emergency coordination among defence and administrative personnel.
“We are being trained under the leadership of experienced officers. Along with the mock drill, we are always ready to deal with emergency situations,” said a Civil Defence personnel during a briefing as quoted by news agency ANI.
In Jaisalmer, six locations were selected for airstrike warning sirens, and a total of 72 Civil Defence personnel were deployed for the operation. These sirens were to be used during the blackout phase to simulate an air attack environment.
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan: Ahead of Operation Shield, BSF has taken full charge as a protective force on the Indo-Pak border. Soldiers are conducting night patrols pic.twitter.com/pkyJkZQJLX
— IANS (@ians_india) May 30, 2025
Earlier, a similar drill was conducted on Shiv Road in Jaisalmer, where sirens were used to warn residents of mock airstrikes as part of public awareness and preparedness.
In Haryana, similar preparations are being made. Haryana Joint Secretary Sumita Mishra said that mock drills will begin at 5 pm on Saturday and follow guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). A total of 32,000 volunteers will take part across the state.
“The mock drill will be conducted throughout Haryana on 31st May. We will also be following the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)…The mock drill will prepare us for any future contingencies…32,000 volunteers will also participate in the mock drill…We are training and briefing these volunteers…The activities will be done after 5 pm,” she said.
Initially, the drill was planned for Thursday; however, due to administrative reasons, it was deferred. The drills follow the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people lost their lives.
Operation Sindoor targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including one Nepalese national.
(With input from agencies)
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