List of Indian States Under Blackout 2025

India, in May 2025, saw a series of first-time blackout drills in multiple states, a return to wartime civil defense practices since 1971. This action was taken during increased tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir that followed with military escalations and speculation about further fighting.

India and Pakistan mutually agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire on May 10, 2025, facilitated through the mediation of the United States, with US President Donald Trump announcing the ceasefire. But the ceasefire was breached within hours as Pakistan resumed shelling, drone attacks, and air raids across various places including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Explosions and sirens were heard in Srinagar and Udhampur, with air defense units scrambled to shoot down Pakistani drones that had entered Indian airspace

Blackouts, in these instances, are not just power outages but planned, calculated moves. They are imposed to protect cities and strategic facilities from detection and attack by the enemy, especially airborne threats. For these blackouts, all observable lights-including those supplied by generators-are turned off, rendering it more difficult for the enemy to locate inhabited or strategic areas.

#WATCH | A complete blackout has been enforced in Moga, Punjab

(Visuals deferred by an unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/h0Xsfh5EGR

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

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States and Major Cities Under Blackout Drills (May 2025)

Note: Over 244 cities and towns participated in these drills nationwide, with particular focus on border and strategic locations.

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#WATCH | Rajasthan: A complete blackout has been enforced in the city of Barmer

(Visuals deferred by an unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/OMvS5FG1eP

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

The Experience: What Residents Saw

During the blackout drills:

• Entire neighborhoods and cities plunged into darkness for up to 15 minutes.
• Residents were instructed to switch off all lights, including those powered by backup systems.
• Emergency services and local authorities coordinated responses as if in a real emergency, testing both infrastructure and public compliance.

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The Broader Context: Power Supply Challenges

While these blackouts were strategic and controlled, India also faces routine power supply challenges:

• Summer Load Shedding: May and June 2025 have been flagged as high-risk months for power shortages due to peak electricity demand, with potential shortfalls of 15–20 GW across the country.
• Regional Variations: States like Uttar Pradesh are projected to be power-surplus in 2025–26, but others may face deficits due to distribution and transmission constraints.

The May 2025 blackout drills were a stark reminder of the necessity of civil defense readiness in an uncertain geopolitical environment. Although not all states had full blackouts, border states and those with strategic assets were at the forefront of the exercises. The exercises also underlined the necessity of strong infrastructure and public cooperation during crisis-periods-whether due to war or the perennial challenge of providing India's ever-growing power demand.

“Blackouts make it extremely difficult for enemy aircraft to spot structures and attack, thereby protecting civilians against foreign adversaries.”

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