Indo-Pak tensions: Govt orders mock drills tomorrow

WITH THE LINE of Control (LoC) hotting up and tensions soaring over a likely Indian military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre on Monday directed northern and western states and Union Territories to test and strengthen civil defence mechanisms in the event of a hostile attack.

- MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL & AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA

The ministry of home affairs asked the states and UTs, including J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana, to conduct mock drills on May 7.

Sources said states and UTs have been asked to operationalise air raid warning sirens, implement crash blackout measures in selected areas and train civilians, including students, on safety protocols to follow during an aerial or ground assault.

Other key measures include conducting rehearsals of evacuation plans and early camouflaging of vital installations such as power plants and military-linked infrastructure.

Sources said these directions are aimed at enhancing the preparedness of the civilian population and the administrative machinery.

The instructions were issued even as a series of high-level meetings continued in the capital.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh met his Japanese counterpart, General Nakatani San, while defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the bilateral meeting with Japan, the two sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and emphasised the need for enhanced collaboration and joint efforts to counter cross-border threats.

According to a government statement, Singh condemned Pakistan's state policy of cross-border terrorism against India, perpetrated through state and non-state actors.

Stating that such attacks destabilise regional peace and security, he called for a unified stand against terrorism and the state-sponsored actions that perpetuate it.

While Singh underlined that India shares a special, strategic and global partnership with Japan, General Nakatani expressed solidarity with India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and offered full support to India.