Indo-Pak war: What India’s war-time sirens mean, how to differentiate between danger and safe signal | Operation Abhyaas

As tensions with Pakistan reached new heights, India on May 7 launched mock civil defence drills. Since then, under Operation Abhiyaas, many cities in the countries, especially those in border areas, have been undergoing mock drills that include sirens.

Civil defence drills are preparedness exercises/sessions that teach citizens what to do in case of an emergency – like an aerial attack or missile strike. These exercises help people learn how to use actions like duck and cover techniques, finding the nearest shelter and protecting vital body parts and first aid.

In cities like Chandigarh, authorities are holding these drills on a daily basis. These exercises include multiple types of sirens that serve certain purposes. Here's what you need to know.

During a war-like situation, sirens help warn people of incoming dangers. Usually two different types of sirens are used, and both have their distinct meanings: one tells people to seek shelter, and the other communicates that it's safe to venture out of their hiding places.

In a post on X, Chandigarh administration shared an important video explaining the difference between the two sirens.
  
Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav in the video explained that the Chandigarh Administration was using a two-tier system.

Watch it here:

Yadav explained that a Red Alert siren that has an up-and-down pitch and rings for five minutes to signal imminent danger urges residents to take shelter, and a Green Alert that has a constant pitch and rings for one minute indicates the threat has passed.