In a chilling rehearsal of wartime readiness, India will conduct a nationwide civil defence drill on May 7, 2025, spanning 244 districts across every state and union territory. The move comes just days after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists, an incident that has sparked both grief and a dramatic tightening of internal security protocols.
This is not just a preparedness drill. It is a bold signal that India is gearing up not just for military defence, but for civilian survival.
Sirens, Blackouts, and Evacuations, What the Drill Will Involve
Issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs through a directive dated May 2, the civil defence mock drill will be carried out under the Civil Defence Rules of 1968. It aims to assess the readiness of India’s civilian population in the face of war-like scenarios such as missile strikes or aerial attacks.
Here’s what citizens can expect on May 7:
1. Air Raid Sirens in Vulnerable Zones
Across key urban centres and strategic locations, air raid sirens will be tested and sounded. These sirens, often associated with past wars, are intended to alert the public to incoming aerial threats, giving them crucial seconds to seek shelter or protection.
2. Crash Blackouts in Cities
Entire cities and towns will simulate sudden blackouts, switching off visible lighting to avoid detection during hypothetical night-time air raids. This tactic, last used during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, is being reintroduced in response to emerging aerial and drone threats.
3. Civilian Training Programs
Workshops and awareness sessions will be held in schools, colleges, government offices, and community centres. These will train participants in “drop and cover” techniques, shelter location, basic first aid, and psychological preparedness during crises.
4. Camouflage of Key Infrastructure
Military bases, communication towers, power stations, and other critical infrastructure will undergo camouflage exercises. These are designed to reduce visibility from enemy reconnaissance systems and satellite imagery.
5. Evacuation Simulations
District authorities will conduct full-scale evacuation drills, moving people from high-risk zones to designated shelters. These drills will help test real-time coordination, logistical readiness, and emergency response strategies.
An All-Hands Effort
The drill will see participation from local district officials, Civil Defence wardens, Home Guards, NCC cadets, NSS and NYKS volunteers, as well as students from schools and colleges. The scale of involvement underscores the seriousness with which the government is viewing civilian defence in an increasingly unpredictable global security environment.
A Throwback to the Cold War But With New Urgency
Though such drills may seem reminiscent of Cold War-era preparedness, recent global events have brought them back into sharp focus. In an era of cyber warfare, precision drone strikes, and hybrid conflict, civilian populations are no longer bystanders they are potential targets. And so, they must also be trained defenders.
A Nation on Alert After Pahalgam
The timing of this nationwide drill is no coincidence. The terror attack in Pahalgam, which brutally ended the lives of 26 Indian tourists, has reignited a sense of urgency at the highest levels of government. Since the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired multiple security briefings, vowing swift and decisive action.
“We will hunt down the perpetrators and conspirators and bring them to justice in a manner that goes beyond their imagination,”
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Upgraded Missiles, Jets, and Vows of Revenge After Pahalgam Attack Raise Stakes in India-Pakistan Standoff
As the shadow of war once again looms pushing India and Pakistan closer to the edge and while both nations have danced this dangerous tango before, most notably in 2019, experts now warn that the risks of escalation are higher than ever, and the battlefield, if drawn, would be vastly different.
Since their last major military standoff in February 2019, both India and Pakistan have significantly upgraded their arsenals, inducted next-generation warplanes, and diversified their strike capabilities – conventional and otherwise. The military chessboard has evolved, and the pieces are more lethal, more agile, and more likely to trigger unintended consequences.
India’s Growing Air Superiority and the Rafale Edge
Back in 2019, when India launched the Balakot airstrikes in response to the Pulwama attack, it relied heavily on ageing Sukhoi-30s, Mirage 2000s, and MiG-21s.
The lack of stealth, speed, and long-range missile capabilities left the Indian Air Force at a disadvantage, a shortcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly acknowledged, suggesting that had India possessed the French-made Rafale fighter jets then, the outcome may have been decisively different.
Since then, India has inducted 36 Rafale jets into its fleet, aircraft considered among the finest in the world. Armed with Meteor missiles, which can engage targets well beyond visual range (BVR), and equipped with cutting-edge avionics and radar evasion technology, the Rafale now forms the backbone of India’s aerial strike capability. More are on order for the Indian Navy as well.
Pakistan’s J-10C: Beijing’s Response to the Rafale
Not to be outpaced, Pakistan has turned to its all-weather ally, China, for a rapid upgrade to its air force. Since 2022, Islamabad has inducted at least 20 J-10C fighter jets, a Chinese multirole aircraft often compared to the Rafale. According to military sources, the J-10Cs are equipped with PL-15 air-to-air missiles, which are roughly on par with the Rafale’s Meteor and represent a major leap in Pakistan’s aerial capabilities.
The J-10C and Rafale matchup could well be a preview of a larger technological face-off, between Western and Chinese defence ecosystems. And this battlefield could become a testing ground for unproven systems and doctrines.
Air Defence Upgrades: S-400 vs HQ-9
One of the most glaring exposures in the 2019 conflict was the lack of robust air defence on both sides. India has since plugged that gap with the acquisition of the Russian S-400 Triumf system, capable of detecting and neutralising multiple threats, including stealth aircraft and ballistic missiles, up to 400 km away. The S-400 is mobile, precise, and battle-tested.
Pakistan’s answer has been the HQ-9 air defence system, a Chinese adaptation of Russia’s older S-300 platform. While not as advanced as the S-400, the HQ-9 gives Pakistan a substantial defensive cushion especially when coupled with radar networks and early warning systems.
Drone Warfare, The Next Frontier
While full-scale aerial dogfights remain a possibility, experts believe the more likely path of escalation lies in unmanned warfare.
India has turned to Israel and the U.S., acquiring Heron Mk2 drones and placing orders for MQ-9B Predator drones, which are known for their strike accuracy and high endurance.
These drones allow low-risk, high-impact options, particularly for tactical strikes, reconnaissance, or retaliatory actions without risking human pilots. But they also increase the probability of miscalculation, a single drone shot down in the wrong place could ignite a larger fire.
The Missiles in the Shadows
On the sidelines of the escalating rhetoric, Pakistan conducted a test of its surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Saturday, with a range of 450 km, signaling readiness and resolve. According to Pakistan’s military, the test was a message: “The armed forces are prepared to safeguard national security against any aggression.”
India has yet to respond officially, but its capabilities are formidable. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly with Russia, offers pinpoint accuracy at 300 km range. The Agni series of ballistic missiles, including Agni-5 with intercontinental range, cements India’s strategic deterrence.
Both countries also maintain a range of short and medium-range missile systems capable of being launched from land, sea, or air, adding to the hair-trigger environment.
Nuclear Shadows and Strategic Calculus
Despite the war drums, both sides remain nuclear-armed, and while experts believe nuclear weapons would not be the first line of escalation, the risk is never zero.
“If you go beyond what we saw in 2019, it is very risky,” said Kaiser Tufail, former Pakistani Air Force fighter pilot. “Nuclear-armed countries slugging it out is extremely dangerous.”
That said, India’s 2019 strategy was seen as failing to establish a long-term deterrence. This time, says Tufail, India might aim for a more decisive strike, particularly with the Rafales in play, which increases the stakes and opens the door to uncontrollable escalation.
A Regional Powder Keg with Global Implications
While the United States has urged both nations to de-escalate, it is watching developments with unusual interest, especially to evaluate China’s aerial warfare capabilities via Pakistan’s J-10C. As tensions flare, China’s presence as Pakistan’s military benefactor adds a new layer of geopolitical complexity.
India, for its part, must weigh how many of its air squadrons it can spare for Pakistan, given the ever-present threat along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
“It’s a dilemma for India – two fronts, both nuclear-armed, and both increasingly sophisticated,” says a defence analyst in New Delhi.
The Last Bit, A Dangerous Game of Chicken
As revenge vows echo in New Delhi and defiant warnings emanate from Islamabad, the subcontinent stands at a perilous crossroads. A single misfire, a misidentified drone, or a missile gone astray could push two nuclear neighbours past the point of no return.
In the words of an unnamed security official: “This is no longer about fighter jets alone – it’s about escalation management, political brinkmanship, and the technology race between the East and the West playing out right above our heads.”
