Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 20 : A full-scale joint counter-hijack and counter-terrorist exercise was successfully conducted by the National Security Guard (NSG) at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI Airport), Kolkata, during the night of July18-19 2025, as part of a security overhaul to foil any terror strike.
The drill was meticulously planned and coordinated with various airport stakeholders and security agencies to evaluate preparedness in the event of a complex security threat.
According to the press release, "A simulated hijack scenario involving an A320 aircraft with crew and 75 dummy passengers was initiated at 21:34 p.m. on 18 July 2025, when the Air Traffic Control (ATC) received an emergency call from the 'hijacked' aircraft. The Aerodrome Committee was immediately convened, and the aircraft was positioned at the Isolation Bay for containment."
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) cordoned off the aircraft while officers from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) engaged in negotiations with the hijackers to de-escalate the situation.
Upon failure of negotiations, the NSG Counter Hijack Task Force (CHTF) launched a mock coordinated operation to storm the aircraft. The mock operation resulted in the successful "rescue" of all dummy passengers and crew, and the "elimination" of the simulated hijackers. This phase of the exercise concluded at 2:15 a.m. on July 19, 2025.
Simultaneously, a mock counter-terrorist exercise was initiated around 21:00 a.m. on 18 July 2025, simulating an armed terrorist attack on the Airports Authority of India (AAI) operational offices, where 12 staff members were taken hostage, and the building's power supply was disabled. State Police Special Task Force (STF) in a mock drill cordoned off the area and attempted entry but encountered heavy resistance and simulated casualties, the release said.
Following the conclusion of the mock hijack scenario, the NSG Task Force was deployed to handle the hostage crisis. After a detailed briefing from the STF, the NSG team executed a coordinated tactical operation, neutralized six simulated terrorists, and successfully rescued all hostages. This operation concluded at 4:25 a.m. on 19 July 2025.
These mock exercises were aimed at validating response mechanisms, inter-agency coordination, and crisis management protocols in high-stake scenarios involving civil aviation security. The participation and coordination among AAI, CISF, ATC, Airlines, State Police, IB, MHA, and NSG ensured the overall success of the exercise.
AAI and NSCBI Airport expressed gratitude to all participating agencies for their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety and security in civil aviation, as per the release.