New Delhi/IBNS: India is gearing up for a nationwide security drill on Wednesday amid heightened tension with Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, dead.

The mock drills will be conducted in nearly 300 locations across the country,  including the national capital and power plants, military bases, refineries, and hydroelectric dams.

The timing of the Centre's order is crucial. The last such drill was conducted in 1971, the year in which India and Pakistan went to war.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked states to operationalise air raid warning sirens and train civilians to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack.

States have been asked to undertake crash blackout measures and provision for early camouflaging of vital plants/installations.

According to the document, blackouts create problems for advanced high-speed aircraft. "The anxiety level of the enemy pilot in the cockpit would be higher if the area is dark," it says. The document says the objective is to ensure that "no light shall be visible at a height of 5,000 ft above ground level under normal visibility conditions".

Meanwhile, the air raid sirens are meant to prepare to detect warnings of approaching enemy planes so they can take shelter.

There are four types of air raid warning messages, of which the first one includes 'Air Raid Message - Yellow'. This is a preliminary and confidential message and is a forecast of enemy plane movement. On receiving this message, civil defence services must prepare for unobstructed movement.

The second alert is 'Air Raid Message-Red'. This is a warning that enemy planes are heading towards certain towns and that they may be attacked within minutes. This message is received by those part of the civil defence response and is a call to action. Public warnings through sirens are likely to follow this alert.

The third type includes 'Air Raid Message - Green', which means that raiding aircraft have left the towns or no longer appear to threaten them. A fourth type of alert, 'Air Raid Message-White' is sent out when a preliminary threat warned in 'Air Raid Message-Yellow' passes. This type of alert is also confidential.

What to expect during the Mock Drill?

The following are to be expected as per the notification by the Union Home Ministry,

• The drill will assess how effective air raid sirens are in alerting people about aerial threats.
• It aims to train civilians to respond quickly and safely in case of an air strike.
• Hotline and radio links between civil authorities and the Indian Air Force will be activated and tested.
• The drill will check how well control rooms and their backups (shadow rooms) perform during emergencies.
• People, including students, will be trained to protect themselves during hostile attacks through basic civil defence techniques.
• The drill will include blackout exercises, where residents may be asked to switch off lights to simulate conditions during an air raid.
• Authorities will practice shielding critical infrastructure like airfields, refineries and rail yards from aerial detection or attack.
• The preparedness of rescue teams and firefighters will be tested. Evacuation plans will also be rehearsed to move people from danger zones to safer areas.
• Civilians will receive hands-on training in providing basic first aid, handling fire fighting equipment, and taking shelter during emergencies.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct large-scale military drills in Rajasthan, along the international border with Pakistan, a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued on Tuesday evening said.

The drills will begin at 9.30 pm on Wednesday and end around five and a half hours later, during which time flights departing or landing at airports close to the border will be suspended, media reports said.

Earlier in the day,  Prime Minister Narendra Modi met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for the second time in the last few days as speculation continues over Delhi's military response.

Modi had earlier warned that those involved in carrying out and plotting the terror attack would get the harshest of punishment, and his sentiment has been echoed by political leaders across party lines.

In line with his commitment, he had earlier given full operational freedom to the armed forces.

On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the nation that "what you desire will certainly happen", dropping a significant hint about India's next move.

In an immediate response, India suspended the landmark Indus River water-sharing treaty and closed the Attari-Wagah road border, which acts as a lifeline of Indo-Pak trade and people-to-people ties, besides expelling diplomats, downsizing high commissions, and issuing a 48-hour deadline to Pakistani visa holders present in India to leave.

This is one of the several meetings the Prime Minister has been holding over the last few days while a possible military retaliation against the terror attack is widely speculated.