India-Pakistan tension: Why blackout drills matter despite advanced technology?

On May 7, 2025, India went dark with a rare nationwide blackout drill amid growing tensions with Pakistan.

Blackout drills were held across 244 districts, from Srinagar to Siliguri. Cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata joined border towns like Amritsar and Bhuj, while tourist spots like Pahalgam and Shimla also went dark as sirens filled the air.

Blackouts across Indian cities 

Blackouts were common during the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars. Cities shut off lights to avoid detection during aerial attacks. People covered windows, dimmed lamps, and tuned in to radio alerts. But May 2025 marks the first large-scale civilian blackout drill in decades.

Blackouts during war

The mock drill followed India’s missile strike on alleged terror camps in Pakistan after a deadly attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam (April 22). The blackout was part of a civil defence rehearsal to test national preparedness for war-like scenarios.

What triggered the 2025 drill?

Sirens rang out, lights went off, and emergency teams got to work. People were told to stay inside and follow safety steps. For many, it felt like their first real taste of a wartime situation.

What happened during the drill?

In an age of satellites, drones, and GPS-guided missiles, turning off lights might not hide a city like it once did. But the psychological value of a blackout remains. It teaches people to act swiftly, stay calm, and understand what coordinated emergency response looks like.

Why blackout still matters?

Unlike the ‘70s, today’s cities glow with solar lights and battery lamps. Shillong’s blackout revealed how hard it is to create complete darkness. Still, the exercise reminded people of old wartime discipline.

Blackouts then vs. now

While the entire nation participated, the blackout had added weight in border and strategic areas. Cities close to Pakistan or housing critical defence installations were under the spotlight.

The cities that mattered most

This wasn’t only about the army or the government. The blackout drill was about civilians too — how quickly they follow alerts, how efficiently they communicate, and how they hold their nerves when everything around them feels uncertain.

More than a military exercise