India’s government has ordered officials to carry out civil defense drills in much of the country on Wednesday as it prepares for a potential military conflict with Pakistan, its neighbor and archrival.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed countries, which have fought several wars, have escalated since April 22, when gunmen killed 26 people in the India-controlled part of the Kashmir region, which both countries claim. India accuses Pakistan of being involved in the terror attack, which Pakistan denies.

India has been making a case for carrying out military strikes on what it calls havens for terrorists in Pakistan. Pakistan has promised to respond in kind to any military action by India.