The national exercise “Vajra‑Set” concludes in Bengaluru, strengthening India’s preparedness for foot‑and‑mouth disease in livestock.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare of the Government of India, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and state animal health departments, successfully concluded the national exercise “Vajra‑Set” held in Bengaluru. In this two‑week extensive exercise, more than 1500 veterinarians, pathologists, and management officials from various states, union territories, and central agencies of the country participated. The main objective of the program was to test and strengthen the national response system to foot‑and‑mouth disease—referred to as “khurpakka” (cloud) and “munhpakka” (blister) disease, which cause severe economic loss in livestock and pose food‑security risks. Participants practiced real‑time procedures such as rapid diagnosis, vaccine distribution, quarantine protocols, and contact tracing in simulated disease‑outbreak scenarios.

In recent years, India has witnessed several outbreaks of foot‑and‑mouth disease, including a major outbreak in 2022‑23 that had a profound impact on animal owners and the agricultural economy. Against this backdrop, “Vajra‑Set” established standard operating procedures to activate an integrated disease‑surveillance network, a digital reporting system, and an emergency vaccine reserve at the national level. The protocols developed during the exercise have now been disseminated to all state animal health departments, enabling early detection and rapid control in any future outbreak.

At the closing ceremony of the program, the Agriculture Minister said that “Vajra‑Set” has taken our disease preparedness to new heights and that it demonstrates...