National tabletop exercise VAJRA-SAT at Bengaluru tests India's readiness for an FMD serotype never seen here
5 November 2026
A two-day National Tabletop Exercise called VAJRA-SAT ended at Bengaluru on 5 November 2026.
It tested how ready India is for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) of the serotype SAT-1 in cattle.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) held it with ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru.
The theme was 'Detect early, confirm fast, contain together'.
83 participants from 25 States and three Union Territories took part, along with national institutions.
They worked through made-up outbreak situations covering early detection, laboratory confirmation, animal movement control and emergency vaccination.
FMD serotype SAT-1 has not been reported in India, so the exercise was a precaution.
In plain words
FMD Foot-and-Mouth Disease — A highly infectious viral disease of cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals.
ICAR-NIVEDI ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics — An ICAR institute at Bengaluru that tracks animal diseases.