The State Department Urges Tourists to Be Cautious When Traveling to India
The U.S. Department of State has recommended that U.S. citizens exercise “increased caution” if traveling to India and avoid traveling to some areas of the country altogether due to crime and terrorism.
The State Department also has a series of “Level 4 do not travel” advisories in place for specific parts of the country.
A Level 4 advisory was issued for the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir—except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh—where the department said terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible.
“Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan,” the advisory states. “It also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam.”
The Indian government does not allow foreign tourists to visit certain areas along the LOC.
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U.S. citizens are also being warned not to travel within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of the India–Pakistan border because of the “potential for armed conflict.” A Level 4 advisory is also in place for that area.
A Level 4 advisory also covers portions of Central and East India due to terrorism, with the department warning that terrorist attacks may happen in those areas with little or no warning.
Attacks may be carried out by Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” who support Maoist political ideology and operate throughout large swathes of India, spanning from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana to western West Bengal, according to the advisory.
The Naxalites have carried out many terrorist attacks targeting local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials, the department said.
“Due to the fluid nature of the threat, U.S. government employees are required to obtain permission prior to traveling to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha. Permission is not required if employees are traveling only to the capital cities of these states,” the advisory states.
The government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in rural areas that stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal, the department notes.
A Level 4 “do not travel” advisory is in place in Manipur due to violence and crime that is being driven, in part, by ongoing ethnic-based civil conflict.
A “Level 3: reconsider travel” advisory is in place for the northeastern part of the country, with the State Department noting that ethnic insurgent groups “occasionally commit acts of violence” in the region. Bombings may occur on buses, trains, and at markets in some northeastern states, the department warned.
Americans who decide to travel to India are advised not to do so alone, particularly if they are female, and to follow the Department of State on social media to receive updated advice.
“Indian authorities report that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India,” the advisory notes. “Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has happened at tourist sites and other locations.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
