As the dark clouds of conflict hover once again over the subcontinent, the heart of India beats in preparation. For the first time since 1971, the Centre has called upon states to carry out full-fledged civil defence mock drills on May 7, aimed at readying the nation for potential hostile strikes following the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians.
With no signs of de-escalation at the border, and 11 nights of relentless cross-border firing by Pakistan along the Line of Control, India has begun sharpening its readiness. Air raid sirens are being readied, civilians and students will undergo survival training, and blackouts are to be practiced across key zones. In Ferozepur, the cantonment was plunged into planned darkness from 9 to 9:30 pm, as power was cut to simulate wartime conditions. A local official noted, “This rehearsal aims to ensure preparedness and effectiveness in implementing blackout procedures during prevailing war threats.”
Other key steps include rapid camouflaging of vital installations, updates and rehearsals of evacuation plans, and immediate implementation of crash blackouts. This large-scale drill is not merely a performance but a whisper of past conflicts echoing into the present.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken charge of the nation’s response, meeting with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh following earlier meetings with the chiefs of all three armed forces. The Prime Minister’s warning was clear: those behind the carnage in Jammu and Kashmir “will get a punishment they cannot imagine.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh added, “What you desire will certainly happen,” leaving the country anticipating the next chapter.
On the diplomatic front, India has taken unprecedented steps, suspending the historic Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, a move not seen during any past wars. Pakistan has retaliated with threats, warning that halting water flow would be a declaration of war and vowing to suspend all bilateral treaties, including the crucial Simla Agreement that underpins the Line of Control.
The ceasefire pact of 2003 has already been shattered, as the LoC continues to echo with the sound of gunfire. In these tense hours, India does not blink, but instead stands taller, prepared and watchful.
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