Nineteen agencies take part in civil-military chemical attack exercise in Pune, India
A total of 19 government agencies from across civil and military domains took part in an exercise simulating a chemical attack in Pune, Maharashtra, India, on Saturday 7 March.
According to an announcement released by the Indian Ministry of Defence, the agencies brought together by the large-scale exercise included the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, civil administration, police, National Disaster Response Force, medical teams, National Cadet Corps, academia and industry partners.
"Conducted as part of Southern Command's military–civil fusion initiative, the exercise aimed to strengthen synergy between military and civil agencies to effectively respond to complex emergencies in operational environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity," the announcement said.
"The exercise underscored the importance of interoperability, joint planning and integrated response mechanisms in addressing evolving CBRN challenges. Participation of NDRF teams, civil agencies, security forces, technical experts and NCC cadets further reinforced the collective commitment to building a resilient and coordinated national response framework."
India's minister of defence, Sanjay Seth, attended the concluding event of the week-long exercise, known as Sanyukt Kavach. He was shown a live demonstration and static display showcasing a coordinated response to a simulated chemical attack in an urban environment, highlighting integrated national preparedness against emerging CBRN threats, according to the Ministry of Defence.
"Exercise Sanyukt Kavach reflects the Indian Army's and Southern Command's continued commitment to promoting military–civil fusion and strengthening a whole-of-nation approach to national security, ensuring effective preparedness against emerging threats in an increasingly complex operational environment," the ministry added.
