In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian government is reviving wartime protocols with a nationwide blackout drill on May 7.

States have been instructed to carry out power cuts, sound air-raid sirens, and train citizens in emergency defense tactics across 244 civil defence districts. These drills are meant to simulate wartime blackouts - where entire cities go dark to avoid detection by enemy aircraft.

Historically used during WWII, the 1965 and 1971 wars, blackouts protect key infrastructure and reduce civilian risk during aerial strikes. But they also bring real disruptions - think halted public services, stressed-out families, and logistical chaos in urban centers.

As tensions with Pakistan simmer, this move signals heightened preparedness, but also rattles daily life with a wartime feel.