IAF to start mock war drill on Pak border amid civil defence exercise

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will begin a two-day war exercise along the country's western border with Pakistan from Wednesday, describing the manoeuvre as a "pre-planned and routine training exercise".

- Archis Mohan, Satarupa Bhattacharjya & Bhaswar Kumar

The first day of the exercise, involving frontline fighter jets and airspace restrictions near the India-Pakistan border, coincides with a large-scale civil defence drill to be held across at least 244 districts nationwide. Experts believe it could be the most expansive civil preparedness drill since the 1971 war with Pakistan.

The civil exercise includes the sounding of air raid sirens, blackouts, evacuation protocols, and bunker readiness checks, including in 13 districts housing sensitive installations such as nuclear reactors.

The war exercise and the civil preparedness campaign follow heightened tensions after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Civil aviation authorities have issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) impacting flight movements near the southern and western sections of the India-Pakistan border.

While the IAF has stressed that the exercise in Rajasthan and nearby areas are routine, it urged media outlets not to speculate on their timing or scope.

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a veiled reference to reports that India had stopped the flow of water from the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River, saying water that once went "outside" would now be used for India's benefit. Modi was speaking at an event in New Delhi. On April 23, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty as part of its response to the "cross-border linkages" to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The prime minister, in a meeting with top military officials on April 29, according to sources, gave the armed forces "complete operational freedom" to decide the nature and timing of India's response. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh met the Prime Minister again on Sunday to brief him on the IAF's readiness.

On Saturday, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi had apprised Modi on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.