The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have begun pan-India testing of an indigenous Cell Broadcast System to push instant alerts to every mobile phone in a targeted area during earthquakes, tsunamis, gas leaks and war-like emergencies.
The system is built by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the R&D arm of the DoT. Testing began on 29 April 2026, per a Press Information Bureau release from the Ministry of Communications.
Mobile users across all 36 states and Union Territories may receive sample messages in English, Hindi and regional languages. The PIB advisory asked recipients not to act on these test messages.
How the alert system works
Cell Broadcast technology transmits messages simultaneously to all handsets connected to mobile towers within a defined geographic zone. Unlike SMS, it does not depend on individual numbers and bypasses network congestion during disasters.
The Cell Broadcast layer sits alongside the existing Integrated Alert System (SACHET), already operationalised by NDMA across the country. SACHET is based on the Common Alerting Protocol recommended by the International Telecommunication Union.
SACHET has dispatched over 134 billion SMS alerts in more than 19 Indian languages since rollout, covering cyclones, weather warnings and natural disasters, the Ministry of Communications said.
What triggers a Cell Broadcast alert
The PIB note lists tsunamis, earthquakes, lightning strikes, gas leaks and chemical hazards as scenarios where Cell Broadcast will deploy. The technology is built for time-critical events where SMS delays of even a few minutes can cost lives.
ℹ️ Background
- SACHET: developed by C-DOT, deployed across all 36 states and UTs
- Protocol: Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) per ITU recommendation
- Cell Broadcast: indigenous build, separate from SMS pipeline
- Issuing agency: NDMA, in collaboration with DoT
What users will see
Test messages appear on the phone screen with a distinct alert tone, marked clearly as a sample. They will be sent in English, Hindi and the regional language of the receiving circle. The DoT has not specified the duration of the testing window.
NDMA confirmed the trials are aimed at assessing performance and reliability before formal inauguration. No date has been announced for the public launch.
Members of the public may receive test messages in English, Hindi and regional languages on their mobile devices. These test messages should be ignored.
Ministry of Communications · PIB Delhi · 29 April 2026
NDMA will publish performance data from the trials before recommending the formal launch date. Citizens facing repeated test alerts can report issues through the SACHET portal operated by C-DOT.
FAQ
Do I need to do anything when I get the test alert?
Will the alert work without internet?
Which languages will alerts be sent in?
