The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has acknowledged the updated travel advisory issued by the United States for its citizens traveling to India. This response came on Thursday, June 26, 2025, following queries regarding the updated advisory. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the issue during a weekly media briefing, emphasizing that travel advisories are routinely issued by countries based on their individual assessments of various factors.
The U.S. State Department issued the updated travel advisory on June 16, 2025, urging American citizens to exercise increased caution while traveling in India due to concerns about crime and terrorism. The advisory specifically highlights the increasing rate of rape and sexual assault cases, including those occurring at tourist sites. It also points out the potential for terrorist attacks in public spaces such as markets, transportation hubs, government facilities, and tourist locations.
The advisory divides India into different risk zones, advising against travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (excluding the eastern Ladakh region and Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest. It also cautions against travel along the India-Pakistan border because of the risk of armed conflict, limiting border crossings to the Attari-Wagah crossing in Punjab for non-citizens. For those planning to travel to Pakistan, the advisory states that U.S. citizens not residing in India must obtain a Pakistani visa from their home country before cross-border travel.
Certain areas in central and eastern India are also flagged as high-risk due to the presence of Maoist extremist groups, or Naxalites. These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these rural regions. Consequently, U.S. government employees working in India are required to obtain special authorization before traveling to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha. However, permission is not required for travel to the capital cities of these states.
The U.S. advisory also highlights specific regulations within India, noting that possessing a satellite phone or GPS device is illegal and may result in a penalty of $200,000 or imprisonment of up to three years. It strongly advises against women traveling alone, given the safety concerns. The advisory encourages U.S. citizens to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive timely updates and facilitate emergency assistance.
According to the MEA spokesperson, the U.S. authorities have communicated that the advisory level for India remains at Level 2, which has been the case for several years. Level 2 advises travelers to exercise increased caution. Randhir Jaiswal noted that the U.S. routinely updates its travel recommendations based on its evaluation.
