The civil defence train “Operation Shield”, which was scheduled for May 29, 2025, has been postponed in Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh resulting from administrative causes. There can be no blackout or mock drills in these areas on the deliberate date.

New Delhi:

The nationwide civil defence train “Operation Shield”, scheduled for May 29, has been postponed in Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chandigarh resulting from administrative causes. State governments issued official notices on Wednesday confirming the deferment and informing civil defence authorities to face down.

The Haryana authorities clarified that there can be no blackout or mock drill on Thursday. “As per directions from the Government of India, the Civil Defence Exercise ‘Operation Shield’, scheduled for 29.05.2025, stands postponed due to administrative reasons. Inconvenience is regretted,” the state mentioned in an announcement.

Similarly, the house departments of Rajasthan and Gujarat issued circulars informing all stakeholders that the drill has been deferred and that revised dates can be communicated later.

Operation Shield deliberate in wake of heightened safety considerations

The nationwide mock drill, named “Operation Shield”, is being carried out beneath the steerage of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to evaluate readiness in responding to wartime emergencies corresponding to air raids, drone assaults, and different hostile situations. The drill comes within the backdrop of Operation Sindoor—India’s current focused strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—and heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror assault of April 22.

Earlier this month, an analogous nationwide civil defence initiative, Operation Abhyaas, was carried out throughout varied states and Union Territories, marking the primary such coordinated preparedness drive for the reason that 1971 Indo-Pak battle. 

At the time, the Ministry of Home Affairs had instructed 244 districts throughout the nation to conduct civil defence workout routines that included blackout drills, air raid sirens, evacuation protocols, and public consciousness periods. These had been geared toward making ready civilians for emergency situations resembling wartime circumstances.

The Directorate of Civil Defence, beneath the Home Ministry, later reported that important gaps had been recognized within the emergency preparedness of susceptible areas. It issued instructions on May 9 to take corrective measures to handle these shortcomings, in response to information company PTI.

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