Why Hyderabad and Vizag are on India’s category-2 threat list
Tensions between India and Pakistan are rising again. After a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Indian Army launched a strong response under “Operation Sindoor.” The mission focused on destroying terrorist bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). This has caused panic in Pakistan, and the fear of war is growing.
If a war begins, which cities will be in danger? What places will Pakistan target? And how much risk do the Telugu states – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – face? These questions are now gaining national attention.
Government Meeting in Delhi
Due to the tense situation, the Indian Home Ministry recently held a high-level meeting in Delhi. During the meeting, the government created a list of locations that could be targets if war breaks out. These were divided into three categories based on importance – Metro cities, Defense hubs, Ports, and Energy centers.
In Category-1, they included the national capital Delhi, and Maharashtra’s Tarapur nuclear plant. These places are considered top targets because Delhi has all major government headquarters and many strategic centers. Other Category-1 cities include Mumbai, Chennai, Surat, and Vadodara – especially those with nuclear facilities.
Hyderabad and Vizag in Category-2
More alarming is that Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam are listed in Category-2. If war happens, these two cities might be among Pakistan’s key targets. This has raised concerns in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad is home to several important defense research and production units. These include:
DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory
Advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL)
Indian Air Force Academy
These institutes play a major role in developing missiles like Agni, Prithvi, Akash, and BrahMos. Because of these vital defense centers, Hyderabad is seen as a possible target.
Vizag’s Strategic Importance
Visakhapatnam, or Vizag, is equally important. It hosts many defense facilities and is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. This command controls naval operations along the east coast and the Bay of Bengal.
Other key installations in Vizag include:
Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Naval Science and Technology Laboratory
Naval Dockyard
Management and Armament Training Institute
In addition, there are plans to build new defense industries in Vizag. These will focus on producing equipment for warships, fighter jets, and helicopters. DRDO is also planning to develop cyber technology units here.
