US Warns Citizens About Safety Risks in India

The US government has issued a travel advisory urging increased caution for its citizens visiting India. The warning highlights concerns over crime, including sexual assault, and terrorism, particularly in certain regions.

The advisory points out that violent crimes, such as rape, are on the rise across India, even at popular tourist sites. Terrorists are known to target locations like transport hubs, markets, and government buildings, with attacks possibly occurring without warning.

Additionally, the US highlights limited emergency support in rural areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana to western West Bengal. U.S. government employees require prior permission before travelling to most parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha—exceptions apply for the state capitals.

The advisory said, “Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal."

Travel to Manipur is discouraged due to ongoing ethnic conflicts and violence, and the US advises its citizens against visiting Jammu and Kashmir, except for the eastern Ladakh region and Leh, where conditions are relatively calmer.

“US government employees working in India also need approval to travel to the eastern region of Maharashtra and the eastern region of Madhya Pradesh,” it said.