A blackout has been imposed in Indian cities Amritsar, Mumbai, Delhi, and Gujarat, emergency sirens have sounded, and citizens have been instructed to stay indoors.
According to Dawn News, citing Indian media, the Amritsar administration stated: “Do not panic, do not gather outside your homes.” Meanwhile, reports indicate that electricity has also been cut off in Mumbai, Delhi, and Gujarat, and emergency sirens have sounded.
Punjab | Taking utmost caution, Amritsar district administration has again started the blackout process. Please stay at home, do not panic and do not gather outside your houses; keep the outside lights switched off: Amritsar DPRO
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025
According to Indian media, the purpose of this blackout is to assess India’s preparedness for emergency response. Key areas in Delhi such as Connaught Place, India Gate, Akshardham Temple, parts of Mumbai, Patna in Bihar, and Surat in Gujarat are among the areas where the blackout was implemented.
Notably, the blackouts imposed across several major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, and regions in Gujarat, appear to be a direct response to heightened national security concerns following India’s missile strike on Pakistan on May 7, 2025.
Given the serious nature of such an act, which escalates tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbors, India’s sudden move to enforce blackouts suggests a preemptive civil defense measure. These blackouts, accompanied by emergency sirens and official instructions for citizens to stay indoors, are consistent with wartime or high-alert protocols aimed at minimizing visibility for potential retaliatory air or missile strikes.
