J&K among 12 participants; 60k to benefit
New Delhi, Oct 23: The Indian Army will train 600 Civil Defence master trainers across 12 States and Union Territories in the first phase of a nationwide initiative to strengthen preparedness against emerging security threats and emergencies, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Friday.
The three-day specialised training programme, being undertaken jointly by the Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards and the Indian Army, aims to equip Civil Defence personnel with modern preparedness and emergency response skills.
Jammu and Kashmir is among the 12 participating States and Union Territories, alongside Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
According to the ministry, 50 master trainers from each participating State/UT are proposed to undergo training at designated Indian Army training establishments by the second week of November 2026.
The initiative follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2026, outlining a vision to establish a vibrant Civil Defence network equipped with modern systems, technologies and contemporary preparedness capabilities to address emerging security challenges.
The training will focus on three broad areas: threat awareness, protection and emergency response, and communication and coordination.
Under threat awareness, participants will be trained in modern and hybrid warfare, drone awareness and air-raid threats. The protection and emergency response component will cover critical infrastructure protection, fire safety, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) awareness, casualty management, and search and rescue operations.
The communication and coordination component will include emergency communication, cyber hygiene, digital resilience, civil-military coordination and incident command.
A key feature of the initiative is a cascading training mechanism under which each master trainer will subsequently train 100 Civil Defence volunteers in their respective State or Union Territory.
This model has the potential to extend specialised preparedness skills to 60,000 Civil Defence volunteers across the 12 participating States/UTs, significantly expanding the reach of the programme beyond the initial group of master trainers.
The initiative is intended to strengthen coordination between civilian emergency response networks and the armed forces by combining the Indian Army’s operational expertise with the Civil Defence volunteer network.
It is also aimed at improving preparedness for contemporary security threats, coordinated emergency response and the protection of critical infrastructure.
The ministry said the programme would be implemented initially as a pilot initiative, with its outcomes expected to inform further expansion to the remaining States and Union Territories in a phased manner.
The proposed expansion is part of the broader effort to build a robust, responsive and future-ready Civil Defence network capable of addressing emerging threats and managing emergencies more effectively.
