India, May 2 -- Millions of mobile users across India received an unexpected emergency alert on Saturday as the Centre tested a nationwide disaster warning system, triggering loud beeps on phones even in silent or do-not-disturb mode. Authorities clarified that the alert, labelled "Extremely Severe Alert," was only a test and required no action from the public.

The system was officially launched on May 2, 2026, by Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. It operates through the SACHET (Integrated Alert System) platform, developed by Centre for Development of Telematics under the Department of Telecommunications.

Built on the globally recognised Common Alerting Protocol recommended by the Int...