NEW DELHI: In a major push to strengthen India’s civil defence preparedness against emerging security threats, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in coordination with the Indian Army, will train 600 civil defence master trainers across 12 States and Union Territories in the first phase of a first-of-its-kind joint training initiative.
The three-day specialised programme, to be conducted at designated Indian Army training facilities, is scheduled to be completed by the second week of November 2026, with the trained personnel expected to pass on their skills to 60,000 Civil Defence Volunteers, officials in the MHA said.
“The initiative is being undertaken by the Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards (DGFSCDHG), Ministry of Home Affairs, in line with the government’s vision of building a vibrant, modern and future-ready Civil Defence network,” a senior official said.
Announcing the vision during his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for strengthening civil defence capabilities through modern systems, advanced technologies and contemporary preparedness measures to address evolving security challenges.
“The first phase will cover Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Each participating State/UT will nominate 50 Master Trainers for the specialised training,” the official said.
According to officials, the programme will focus on three key areas including threat awareness, protection and emergency response and communication and coordination.
“Participants will receive training in modern and hybrid warfare, drone-related threats, air-raid preparedness, critical infrastructure protection, fire safety and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) awareness,” another official said.
He went on to add that the curriculum would also cover “casualty management, search and rescue, emergency communications, cyber hygiene, digital resilience, civil-military coordination and incident command”.
Noting that the key feature of the initiative is its multiplier-based training model, the officials said, after completing the programme, each Master Trainer will train 100 Civil Defence Volunteers in their respective State/UT.
This cascading mechanism is expected to extend specialised preparedness skills to around 60,000 volunteers, substantially expanding the reach of the initiative, they noted.
The programme also marks a significant step towards closer civil-military coordination, combining the Indian Army’s operational expertise with the extensive reach of the Civil Defence volunteer network.
“Based on the outcomes of the pilot phase, the initiative is envisaged to be extended to the remaining States and Union Territories in a phased manner, paving the way for a stronger, responsive and resilient Civil Defence network across the country,” the official said.