‘Operation Shield’ mock drill in J&K on May 31
Jammu, May 29: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is holding a second civil defence exercise ëOperation Shieldí, in Jammu and Kashmir and five other states and union territories adjoining western border of the country on May 31, 2025.
Earlier, Operation Shield was to be conducted on Thursday, May 29, 2025, but was later postponed due to some administrative reasons.
Though officially it has not been specified yet it is being perceived that postponement relates to two-day visit of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu region, commencing on May 29.
Besides J&K, the exercise will be conducted in all districts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Chandigarh to ìaugment the civil defence preparedness against the hostile attack.î
As per an official communiquÈ, the exercise will be conducted from 5 pm onwards (the exact time may be suited as per local convenience).
The exercise has been ordered by the MHA in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 19 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968. The first such country-wide civil defence exercise was conducted on May 7, 2025.
In a fresh communiquÈ to the Director Civil Defence and Commandant General Home Guards of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Chandigarh by the Directorate General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards of MHA on Thursday, it has been pointed out that during the first civil defence exercise held on May 7, 2025, ìcritical gaps in the civil defence preparedness of the vulnerable areas of the country were observed.î
As per the communiquÈ, instructions to take necessary actions to suitably address the issues were also issued by the Directorate General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards of MHA on May 9, 2025.
Accordingly, emergency powers were invoked and funding arrangement through SDRF was also done.
ìTherefore, to augment the civil defence preparedness against the hostile attack, a second exercise ëOperation Shieldí in all the districts of states and UTs, adjoining the Western Border is hereby planned to be held on May 29, 2025,î the directorateís communiquÈ has mentioned.
During the second civil defence exercise, certain contingencies have been envisaged to be practiced.
These contingencies will include general and silent recall of Civil Defence (CD) wardens; volunteers; stakeholders from local administration and youth volunteers like NCC; NSS; NYKS and Bharat Scouts and Guides to man different services and assist civil administration in the implementation of various CD measures.
They (contingencies envisaged) will also include ìair raids from enemy aircraft, drones and missile attacks; activation of hotlines between Air Force and Civil Defence Control rooms (RCDCC, SCDCC and TCDCCs) and activation of centrally controlled and operated air raid sirens and complete blackout measures adjoining civilian VA and VPs (Vulnerable areas and persons) excluding emergency and critical services.î
Another contingency envisaged will be ìevacuation of the families to safer placesî by the civil administration in case of ìattack on a military stationî by a ìswarm of enemy dronesî and ìsimulation of evacuation of victims to a safer placeî will be practiced.
In case of mass injuries, augmentation of medical teams and requirement of specified units of blood for injured; the deployment of border wing Home Guards with the designated units of armed forces on the requisition by the Army as a part of rear area security plan and simulation of de-induction from the current assignment and mobilisation to reach the operation locations with the Army will also be the contingencies envisaged during the exercise.
The concerned authorities have been asked to plan and organise this exercise by involving all local administration and stakeholders.
Earlier, the first such country-wide mock drill in over 259 (civil defence) districts was ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for effective civil defence on May 7, 2025.
There were 19 civil defence districts of J&K, Ladakh Union Territories in MHA list for mock drill to be conducted on May 7, 2025.
They included Anantnag, Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Srinagar, Uri, Awantipur in Kashmir division; Doda, Jammu, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur, Samba, Akhnoor, Nowshera, Sunderbani in Jammu division and Kargil, Leh in Ladakh Union Territory.
In this connection, a detailed civil defence mock drill preparation guide for J&K citizens was also issued.
However, in the wake of escalation between India and Pak following the conduct of ëOperation Sindoorí targeting nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and PoK during the intervening night of May 6 and 7, 2025, this exercise was called off in J&K, Ladakh.
Mock drills also include training of civilians, students on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack.
