Ahmedabad: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday announced a revised date for the nationwide mock drill ‘Operation Shield’ in states that share borders with Pakistan. Originally set for May 29, the drill was postponed and is now scheduled to take place on May 31, 2025, across five key border states, including Gujarat. The 2nd civil defence exercise will be conducted between 5 PM to 8 PM.
The drill, aimed at assessing emergency preparedness and coordination among various security and civil departments, comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a recent national security operation. It will focus on evaluating readiness in sensitive areas near the country’s borders.
Participating states include Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, and Gujarat. Special emphasis is being placed on Gujarat’s border districts, Kutch, Banaskantha, and Patan, where intensive planning is already underway.
High-level preparations are in motion, with state authorities conducting video conference meetings involving district collectors of the concerned areas. Present in one such meeting were Dr. Jayanti Ravi, Additional Chief Secretary; Nipuna Torwane, Home Department Secretary; and Manoj Agrawal, Director General of Civil Defence.
Officials have carefully selected locations for the drill based on population density and proximity to sensitive institutions. Citizens are urged to remain calm and not fall for rumors, as the exercise is purely for readiness purposes. The goal is not only to test the administrative response but also to instill a sense of calm cooperation among the public during emergencies.