Amid rising border tensions, the Indian government has ordered states to activate Air Raid Sirens and Blackout Drills to strengthen civil defence and emergency preparedness.
With the Line of Control hotting up and high tension building over a probable Indian military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre on Monday instructed the northern and western States and Union Territories to test and reinforce their Civil Defence machinery in the event of a hostile attack.
Why Air Raid Sirens and Blackout Drills Are Being Activated Across India?
The MHA has asked states and UTs including J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana to conduct mock drills on May 7.
Sources said that states and UTs have been directed to activate air raid warnings, impose crash blackouts in select localities, train civilians including students in safety measures to be taken during aerial or ground assault.
Also, rehearsal of evacuation plans and early camouflaging of vital installations such as power plants and military-oriented infrastructure will be carried out as part of some other key measures.
The instructions were issued while various high-level meetings continued in the Capital.
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The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Japanese counterpart, General Nakatani San, while the Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh also held a meeting with PM Narendra Modi.
Terrorism in all its forms was condemned during the bilateral meetings, and the two sides felt an enhanced collaboration and joint effort was necessary to address cross-border threats.
According to the government statement, Singh condemned Pakistan’s state policy of cross-border terrorism against India, perpetrated through state and non-state actors.
Saying that such actions destabilised peace and security in the region, he called for a common front against terrorism as well as the actions of states that sponsor or promote it.
While Singh spoke of a special, strategic and global partnership between India and Japan, General Nakatani stated that he stood in full solidarity with India following the Pahalgam attack and pledged complete backing to India.
The two ministers further reiterated their commitment towards the promotion of bilateral relations and to regional peace.
The aforesaid statement further stated that, in view of India and Japan’s expanding military presence of China in the Indo-Pacific, “both leaders have agreed to upgrade the robust maritime cooperation existing between India and Japan to newer dimensions”.
According to Official Sources, Singh while citing that cross-border terrorism affected many countries, also mentioned Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Singh was also allegedly heard advising General Nakatani not to invest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to ensure that any funds could not be used for terror activities in the future.
Singh also emphasised the capability of the Indian defence industry with specific mention of future collaboration possibilities with the Japanese on new domains including tank engines and aero engines and ongoing collaboration in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul operations.
Both sides agreed to scale up industrial cooperation and examine collaboration in niche areas such as automation and Artificial Intelligence. In the statement, it was said that the two Ministers also decided to carry forward cooperation in emerging areas like cyber and space.
In the meantime, Defence Secretary R K Singh had an audience with PM Modi, and it was said that they discussed urgent policy and procurements concerning the armed forces, with the military establishment attempting to weigh options for retaliation.
The defence minister manages the defence budget, as well as fundamental policies and procedures. They also define the rules pertaining to national defence and are tasked with the management of important military acquisitions that directly impact the nation’s security and operational readiness.
