The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has announced a pilot initiative to strengthen India's Civil Defence preparedness through specialised training of Master Trainers by the Indian Army.
Under the first phase, 600 Civil Defence Master Trainers, with 50 from each participating State or Union Territory, are proposed to undergo a three-day training programme at designated Indian Army training establishments. The programme is scheduled to be completed by the second week of November 2026.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
The first phase will cover 600 Civil Defence Master Trainers across 12 States and UTs.
Each participating jurisdiction will have 50 Master Trainers.
The three-day programme is proposed to be completed by the second week of November 2026.
Each trained Master Trainer is expected to train 100 Civil Defence Volunteers.
The initiative has the potential to reach 60,000 volunteers.
The initiative is being undertaken by the Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in coordination with the Indian Army.
The training will cover three broad areas: threat awareness, protection and emergency response, and communication and coordination. Subjects will include modern and hybrid warfare, drone awareness, air-raid threats, critical infrastructure protection, fire safety, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) awareness, casualty management, search and rescue, emergency communication, cyber hygiene, digital resilience and civil-military coordination.
The 12 participating States and Union Territories are Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The initiative aims to strengthen India's emergency preparedness by equipping Civil Defence personnel with skills to respond to security threats, protect critical infrastructure and coordinate emergency operations.
Following the specialised training, each Master Trainer is expected to train 100 Civil Defence Volunteers in their respective jurisdiction. This training model has the potential to extend preparedness skills to 60,000 volunteers across the participating States and Union Territories.
The initiative aims to strengthen civil-military coordination and improve the ability of Civil Defence personnel to respond to emerging security threats, hostile situations and emergencies. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the programme may be expanded to the remaining States and Union Territories in phases, depending on the outcomes of the pilot initiative.
