As tensions with Pakistan rise after Pahalgam terror attack, India to conduct defence mock drills after 54 years: Here’s what happened in 1971

Tensions between India and Pakistan have reached a critical point after the brutal killing of 26 people in Pahalgam. The situation between the two countries now resembles a war-like scenario. In response, the Indian government has ordered all states and union territories to conduct mock drills in preparation for a possible conflict. 

The last time India conducted such a nationwide mock drill was 54 years ago, during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. That war led to the creation of Bangladesh. 

What happened in 1971?

The 1971 India-Pakistan war officially began on December 3 and ended on December 16, when Pakistan’s Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi surrendered to the Indian Army in Dhaka. However, the tension had been building for months before the war started.

Mock drills began just a few days before the war. Media reports suggest that these drills continued throughout the conflict. Their main goal was to prepare civilians for wartime conditions.

Under the leadership of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Ministry of Home Affairs instructed states to carry out civil defence drills. These included air raid sirens, blackout exercises, and shelter training. Public announcements were made through All India Radio to guide people.

The drills involved warning sirens to alert citizens of airstrikes. People were trained to evacuate and move to safer locations immediately after hearing the sirens. Blackouts were practiced at night to avoid detection by enemy aircraft. Citizens were also trained to take shelter in bunkers and were taught how to protect themselves during bombings.

In 1971, mock drills were held across the country, with special focus on border states like Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, and the Northeast states. Major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai also participated due to their strategic and economic importance.