AMN

The civil defence exercise scheduled to be held in the states bordering Pakistan on May 29 has been postponed. The government decided to conduct a civil defence exercise on Thursday in the states bordering Pakistan – Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir – under “Operation Shield”.

Despite the pause in large-scale violence, India remains firm on its stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, as conveyed to international leaders.

However, statements released by the governments in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir said that the exercise has been postponed due to administrative reasons and that the next date for it will be issued subsequently.

On May 7, hours before Operation Sindoor, the government conducted the first civil defence exercise across the country. At the time, the ministry of home affairs had directed 244 districts to carry out the civil defence exercises, which included blackout exercises, air raid sirens, evacuation protocols, and public awareness sessions aimed at preparing civilians for emergencies resembling wartime situations.