What is Operation Shield to be held in border states, UTs today?

The Union Home Ministry has officially announced that “Operation Shield”, a large-scale civil defence mock drill, will be carried out on Saturday, May 31, from 5 pm onwards, across all districts in states and Union Territories bordering Pakistan, a government press release said.

This means the exercise will be held in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

The drill was initially slated for May 29, but was postponed earlier this week due to what authorities described as “administrative reasons.” Officials have since confirmed that all preparations are now complete for the new date.

So, what exactly is Operation Shield all about? How are the states gearing up for this massive mock exercise? And how does it compare to previous May 7 civil defence drills?

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All about Operation Shield

Operation Shield is part of a broader civil defence initiative launched by the government to assess and strengthen the country’s readiness in the face of possible external threats.

The drill is designed to simulate various emergency scenarios, such as enemy air raids, drone intrusions, missile strikes, and mass evacuations. It will include silent and general recall of civil defence volunteers, evacuation drills, and emergency communication exercises.

The first round of such mock exercises took place on May 7, the same day India launched Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes came in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which left 26 innocents dead.

The situation escalated rapidly, with four days of military tension from May 7 to 10, during which Pakistan launched heavy artillery shelling and attempted drone and missile attacks along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

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Operation Shield: Why now?

According to a government press statement issued on May 29, the decision to conduct Operation Shield stems from key lessons learned during the earlier exercise.

“Several shortcomings were observed in the previous exercise,” the statement noted, adding that the upcoming drill aims to “fill the critical gaps and augment the Civil Defence preparedness against the hostile attack.”

The press note further instructed local authorities to fully engage with the drill: “It is requested to plan and organise the Civil Defence Exercise ‘Operation Shield’ on 31.05.2025 at 1700 Hrs onwards (the exact time may be suited as per local convenience) by involving all local administration and stakeholders. An action taken report in this regard may be shared with this directorate,” the release said.

The drill will focus especially on regions near the Line of Control, where the risk of cross-border aggression remains highest. Officials say the goal is to raise both preparedness levels and civilian awareness in these sensitive zones.

The mock drill will involve “Civil Defence Wardens/Volunteers stakeholders from local administration  and youth volunteers like NCC, NSS NYKS, Bharat Scouts & Guides” in the implementation of several civil defence measures against rival aircraft, drones and missile attacks.

Operation Shield: Jammu and Kashmir

In Jammu & Kashmir, the Directorates of SDRF and Civil Defence will carry out a large-scale civil defence mock drill as part of Operation Shield, starting at 5 pm across the Union Territory.

The exercise will cover several sensitive border districts, including Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, and Kupwara, regions that lie close to the Line of Control (LoC) and are frequently exposed to cross-border threats.

Given the security dynamics of the region, Operation Shield in J&K is expected to serve as a critical test of ground-level preparedness and the civilian response system during emergency situations.

To support the exercise, officials had earlier issued a comprehensive civil defence drill preparation guide for residents, outlining actions to be taken in the event of air raids or missile threats.

Operation Shield: Punjab & Chandigarh

In Punjab, the mock drill under Operation Shield will be marked by complete blackout measures in vulnerable civilian areas along the border. A government spokesperson said that the blackout would exclude emergency and critical services. To simulate an actual attack scenario, air raid sirens will also be sounded during the drill.

The exercise is set to include sirens, blackouts, and a range of emergency simulations, all aimed at assessing how prepared local authorities and the public are in the face of potential attacks or disasters.

Punjab’s Special Director General of Police, Sanjeev Kalra, confirmed that the drill will cover all districts in the state and will begin at 6 pm.

“The mock drill is a part of Operation Shield and is being conducted in all districts of the bordering states on the Western border. The mock drill will be conducted by 6 pm,” Kalra was quoted as saying in a LiveMint report.

The high-intensity simulation is expected to test both infrastructure and coordination among civil, police, and emergency response units across the state.

In Chandigarh, a 10-minute blackout, starting at 8 pm, will be observed in Kishangarh and IT Park, stated the official release.

Operation Shield: Haryana

In Haryana, the state government has announced that Operation Shield mock drills will be conducted across all 22 districts as part of efforts to boost emergency preparedness and response across the region.

Officials told PTI that the exercises will start at 5 pm, and will simulate high-risk scenarios such as air raids, drone strikes, and other wartime emergencies.

A controlled blackout will also take place near vital installations in the state, from 8:00 pm to 8:15 pm, to mirror possible power outages during an actual attack. However, essential services like hospitals, fire stations, and police stations will remain operational and unaffected.

Haryana’s Joint Secretary Sumita Mishra confirmed that the drills would strictly follow guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“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,” Mishra said.

Operation Shield: Rajasthan

Officials from Rajasthan confirmed that similar mock drills and blackout exercises, part of ‘Operation Shield’, will encompass all 41 districts, including Jaisalmer.

Official sources told NDTV, the mock drill, mandated by the Rajasthan Home Department, will begin at 5:00 pm, although the exact location in Jaisalmer district has been kept confidential for security purposes.

“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 part of preparations 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.

Operation Shield: Gujarat

Several districts across Gujarat are set to participate in Operation Shield, with drills designed to test the state’s preparedness in the event of cross-border threats or wartime emergencies.

According to a local news outlet, Bombay Samachar, in the Patan district, eighteen key locations have been identified for blackout exercises. Neighbouring municipalities such as Siddhpur, Chanasma, Harij, and Radhanpur will also take part in the drill.

During the blackout phase, which will take place from 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm, streetlights, shop signage, and other external lighting systems will be switched off.

Drills are also anticipated in major cities like Vadodara and Surat.

To ensure smooth execution, the Revenue Department, led by Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Jayanti Ravi, conducted a virtual review of the state’s readiness. She has directed all district collectors to maintain effective coordination with local agencies and ensure seamless implementation of the exercise.

With input from agencies