Operation Shield: Civil defence mock drills postponed in states bordering Pakistan due to 'administrative reasons'

NEW DELHI: Civil defence mock drills scheduled on Thursday in the states bordering Pakistan were postponed by the authorities citing "administrative reasons."

This comes hours after mock drills under the name of Operation Shield were scheduled for states including Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

“It is hereby intimated that the civil defence exercise 'Operation Shield', which was planned to be held on 29.05.2025, is hereby postponed due to administrative reasons,” Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan information departments said in a circular.

"It is requested that necessary directions to all the controllers of civil defence and other stakeholders may be issued accordingly. Next dates for the exercise shall be issued subsequently," it added.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government wrote to the Centre, proposing June 3 as the date for carrying out a civil defence exercise, citing that their civil defence staff were undergoing a training being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

A senior Punjab police officer said that the Centre accepted the state government's request for holding the drill on June 3.

The Government of India decided to carry out a civil defence exercise on Thursday in all districts of states and Union Territories adjoining the western border -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- on how to face air raids from enemy aircraft, drones, missile attacks, among others.

In a communication earlier, the Directorate General of Fire Services and Home Guards conveyed that the civil defence exercise 'Operation Shield' will be carried out in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

The drill was intended to test emergency response coordination, civilian evacuation protocols, and inter-agency communication in case of cross-border hostilities or terrorist incidents.

This comes weeks after India launched Operation Sindoor on the night of May 6–7, a retaliatory strike reportedly targeting terror camps and military infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

The operation was a response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. India's counter-attack prompted Pakistan to launch its strikes on Indian military sites and urban areas. In response, India hit at least nine Pakistani air bases, including radar and air defence units. After several days of high-intensity action, Pakistan requested a ceasefire, which India accepted on May 10.