Ferozepur: The Indian Army conducted a 30-minute blackout drill during Sunday night as part of its readiness exercises to meet potential hostilities following rising tensions with Pakistan within the Ferozepur cantonment in Punjab. The drill ran from 9:00 to 9:30 PM after Indian authorities initiated the procedure because of “prevailing war threats” following the terror attack on Pahalgam, which led to 26 casualties, mostly among tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
The authorities used both loudspeakers and a battery-powered rickshaw to disclose the notice beforehand throughout the cantonment region. The Ferozepur administration requested civilian support by shutting off all exterior lighting dependent on generators and inverters as well as standard lighting to be completely dark during the exercise period. The Ferozepur cantonment authorities communicated through their official letter to the Deputy Commissioner why they needed the blackout drill to enhance security measures amid current heightened threats.
Blackout procedures take place at a time when India-Pakistan relations deteriorate following the Pahalgam attack, which The Resistance Front (TRF) conducted as a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy group. India took multiple diplomatic and strategic steps to address the security threat by restricting water flow as per the Indus Waters Treaty while blocking the Wagah-Attari border crossing. Moreover, the government provided armed forces complete freedom to defend against threats. Pakistan has raised its military alert levels while moving border-side radar systems and fighter jets throughout its border region.
The Ferozepur drill reveals that India takes active steps to counter potential military escalations. The blackout drill functions as a chilling warning to depict the unstable defence situation, which makes both states and international observers watch the region nervously.