In an official statement, District Magistrate (Central) G. Sudhakar urged residents to stay calm and not be alarmed by the sirens. Authorities have also requested that extensive publicity be carried out through social and electronic media platforms to ensure residents are informed and prevent confusion. Key officials across various departments, including the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and Commissioner of Police, Delhi, have been notified about the testing exercise, which is conducted periodically to ensure the functionality of critical alert systems.
This siren testing comes amid growing concerns following a series of military activities along India’s borders. Meanwhile, in Ambala, an air warning was issued early on May 10 after receiving an alert from the local Air Force station. Sirens were activated throughout the city, and residents were instructed to remain indoors and avoid balconies or terraces. In an additional precautionary measure, the Deputy Commissioner of Ambala has ordered a complete blackout in the district, with all lights to be switched off between 8 PM and 6 AM.
In Chandigarh, sirens were also sounded after the city received a similar warning from the local Air Force station about a possible attack. The Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner urged residents to stay indoors and refrain from going onto balconies.
The heightened security measures follow recent tensions between India and Pakistan. On May 7-8, 2025, the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralized a large-scale drone and missile attack launched by Pakistan against Indian military installations in Northern and Western India. The counter-drone operation resulted in the Indian Army shooting down over 50 Pakistani drones along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB).
This follows India’s “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, where Indian forces carried out missile strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure associated with groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 civilians.
With rising geopolitical tensions, authorities continue to enhance preparedness and awareness measures across the nation. Residents are advised to stay alert and follow official instructions in the event of further developments.