NDMA, DoT test 'Extremely severe alerts' on India's cell broadcast

India May 02, 2026

On Saturday, May 2, people across India were startled by an unexpected "Extremely Severe Alerts" notification on their phones.
It turned out, it was just a test run by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to check how well India's Cell Broadcast Alert System works for disaster warnings.

Only test-channel phones got alert

The alert, sent in Delhi-NCR and the capital cities of several states and Union Territories, quickly took over social media, with users sharing memes and raising privacy and security concerns.
Not everyone got the alert, though; only phones with a certain test channel switched on received it.
Officials say more tests are coming as they work to make sure alerts reach everyone when it really matters.