India to conduct mock drills in states bordering Pakistan on May 29
India will conduct large-scale mock drills across its northern and western border states on Thursday, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir, under the Centre's emergency preparedness initiative — Operation Shield.
In Punjab, however, the drill will be held separately on June 3, according to an official statement.
These coordinated drills aim to test the readiness of the administration and civil population in the event of emergencies such as air strikes or bomb attacks.
Designed as full-scale simulations, the drills will assess the functionality of control rooms, air raid warning systems, and the efficiency of civil defence services, including warden duties, firefighting, rescue operations, depot management, and evacuation planning.
Sirens will be sounded as part of the drill procedures, and emergency preparedness systems will be examined under close monitoring.
The Civil Defence Department in Rajasthan has already begun issuing instructions to all districts in the state, with a special focus on those bordering Pakistan.
Jodhpur District Collector Gaurav Agarwal confirmed that a mock drill will take place in Jodhpur on Thursday, although the precise timing is yet to be announced.
In Gujarat, the mock drills will be held in every district. The government has announced that registrations will be facilitated on the official portal for those wishing to become civil defence volunteers.
The drills will simulate air attack scenarios and will be conducted at two to three locations in each district.
A blackout will be enforced in the evening as part of the drill, and residents have been urged to actively participate.
Haryana will observe a complete blackout at vital points and strategic locations, excluding emergency and essential services.
The blackout is scheduled to begin at 8pm and will last till 8.15pm.
These developments follow the Ministry of Home Affairs' earlier nationwide drill, Operation Abhyas, held on May 7 — the same day India launched Operation Sindoor, a military offensive in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Operation Sindoor destroyed nine high-value terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating more than 100 terrorists.
Authorities have reiterated that mock drills play a vital role in strengthening the nation's emergency response framework.
These simulations help evaluate coordination between various arms of administration and civil defence units during crisis situations.
A blackout, an integral part of such exercises, involves switching off all visible lights in a specific area for a designated time.
This wartime tactic is used to make it harder for enemy aircraft to detect and target critical infrastructure during air raids, thereby improving overall defence preparedness under the cloak of darkness. - The Statesman/ANN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
AI-powered immigration system to launch in March 2026
PETALING JAYA: The implementation of the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe), designed to overhaul Malaysia's border control infrastructure using the latest technology, is currently under active development and is expected to be operational in stages starting March 2026. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the new system will incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to boost national security and improve the efficiency of monitoring and verifying individuals at the country's entry points. 'The Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) prioritises strengthening border control and safeguarding national sovereignty through modern, integrated technology,' he said in a written parliamentary reply to Ketereh MP Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor, yesterday. Saifuddin said that while QR code and biometric checks are already in place and involve elements of AI, the NIISe system will significantly expand the scope and intelligence of border surveillance. Among the core AI components of NIISe is a holistic multi-modal biometric recognition system known as the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which merges facial, fingerprint, and iris recognition to enhance identity verification for travellers. Also being developed is a Risk Assessment Engine (RAE) combined with Big Data Analytics (BDA), which will allow immigration officers to perform in-depth threat analyses — such as detecting forged documents or identifying potential criminal or immigration risks. He added that other AI tools include predictive analytics to flag suspicious travel patterns or repeat entries by high-risk individuals, as well as an AI chatbot designed to assist both Immigration Department officers and the public with system-related support. 'KDN wishes to stress that we will not compromise on national security and border control.'Every new technology deployed is to ensure only legitimate and low-risk individuals are allowed entry into Malaysia,' he said. The NIISe project forms part of the government's broader push to digitise public service delivery, with immigration reform seen as a critical pillar in enhancing national resilience against transborder threats.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Russian strike on central Ukraine prison kills 16
KYIV: A Russian strike on a prison in central Ukraine overnight killed more than 16 people and wounded dozens others, Kyiv said Monday, after Washington pressured Russia to end its war. The attack comes around the three-year anniversary of an attack on another detention facility in occupied Ukrainian territory that Kyiv blamed on Moscow and that was reported to have killed dozens of captured Ukrainian soldiers. It also comes just one day after US President Donald Trump issued Moscow with a new deadline to end its grinding invasion of Ukraine – now in its fourth year – or face tough new sanctions. Russia carried out eight strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region, hitting the prison, according to Ivan Fedorov, the head of the military administration. He said 16 people were killed there and that another 35 were wounded in the attack that he said destroyed the facility and damaged homes nearby. "Putin's regime, which also issues threats against the United States through some of its mouthpieces, must face economic and military blows that strip it of the capacity to wage war," Andriy Yermak, a senior aide to Ukraine's president wrote on social media in response. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the Zaporizhzhia attack was further evidence of Russian "war crimes." "People held in places of detention do not lose their right to life and protection," he wrote on social media. The Ukrainian air force said that Russia had launched 37 drones and two missiles overnight, adding that its air defence systems had downed 32 of the drones only. People were also killed and more wounded in attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to regional government officials. A missile strike on the town of Kamyanske killed two people, wounded five and damaged a hospital, Sergiy Lysak, head of the regional military administration said on Telegram. Another person was killed and several wounded in an attack on the region's Synelnykivsky district, he said. In a separate attack on Velykomykhaylivska, Monday night, a "75-year-old woman was killed. A 68-year-old man was wounded. A private house was damaged," he posted on Telegram. In southern Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person, the region's acting governor said Tuesday. "A car was damaged on Ostrovsky Street. Unfortunately, the driver who was in it died," Yuri Slyusar, acting governor of the Rostov region, said in a post on Telegram. Kyiv has been trying to repel Russia's summer offensive, which has made fresh advances into areas largely spared since the start of the offensive in 2022. Over the weekend, the Russian army said its forces had captured a small settlement in the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region, weeks after it seized the first village in the territory. Kyiv has contested those claimed Russian advances. Both Ukraine and Russia blamed each other for the strike over the night of July 29 three years ago on the detention in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, which the Kremlin says is part of Russia. Ukraine says that dozens of its soldiers who laid down their arms after a long Russian siege of the port city of Mariupol were killed in that attack on the Olenivka detention facility.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Pakistan finance minister visits US to finalise trade agreement
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has departed for the United States for the second time in two weeks to finalise a trade deal with Washington, his office confirmed. The visit follows Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's statement last week that both nations were 'very close' to an agreement, though U.S. officials did not provide a timeline after discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 'A final discussion on the Pakistan-U.S. trade dialogue will take place during the visit,' Pakistan's Finance Ministry stated, emphasising mutual benefits from the deal. Aurangzeb previously held 'productive trade talks' with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer during his July 18 trip. The negotiations focus on reducing reciprocal tariffs, part of broader efforts to strengthen economic ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Pakistan currently faces a 29% tariff on exports to the U.S., imposed under former President Donald Trump's policies targeting trade surplus nations. In 2024, Pakistan's surplus with the U.S. stood at $3 billion. To address the imbalance, Islamabad has proposed increasing imports of U.S. goods, including crude oil, and offering investment incentives in sectors like mining. Relations between the two countries improved recently after Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House last month. The finance ministry highlighted opportunities for collaboration in IT, minerals, and agriculture, aiming to expand trade beyond traditional sectors. - Reuters
