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India
- Travelers to India encounter moderate travel risks stemming from social unrest, crime, and natural disasters.
- Petty crime and localized unrest are the risks most likely to affect travelers. Terrorism and militant activity remain a latent threat in certain states.
- India witnesses a variety of natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, and cyclones, though the risks vary across states.
Risk Factors
- India has high rates of petty and violent crimes across the country. Tourist sites, marketplaces, and transport hubs in major cities are hotspots for petty crimes such as pickpocketing and snatch and grabs, which can directly target foreign travelers.
- Violent crimes such as muggings and sexual assaults also occasionally occur, with women in urban areas especially at risk. While violent criminality mostly impacts locals, there have been occasional reports of foreign nationals being targeted in such incidents.
- Protests in India are frequent and often lead to unrest, as the security forces have a tendency to forcibly disperse protests.
- The impact and frequency of communal clashes have risen in recent years. Although such incidents mostly involve locals, they can present significant incidental risks to bystanders. Exercise caution in the presence of large crowds and bypass the vicinity of protests.
- India has amongst the highest traffic fatality rates in the world. Overland travel at night is not recommended. It is advisable to fly between cities when possible; otherwise, traveling by train is safer than driving long distances by bus.
- Using licensed taxis arranged through reputable agencies or the hotel is recommended; pre-arranging a taxi at the airport is also advisable. Unlicensed taxis should be avoided due to higher risks of crime and petty scams.
- Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Ola, which provide trackable rides and driver details, are a safe alternative to taxis in urban areas.
- For road travel, hire cars with drivers from trusted agencies rather than self-driving, as road conditions and traffic can be challenging
- While terrorism remains a latent threat, the areas most affected are typically border regions and conflict zones such as Jammu and Kashmir, and parts of northeastern India. Travelers are advised to avoid such high-risk areas without significant trip planning and professional local guidance.
- India has robust counter-terrorism capabilities, and no significant attack against civilians has occurred in the past decade. Militant targets tend to include military and government interests.
- Security risks are elevated in north-eastern India, including the states of Assam, Nagaland, and Tripura, due to higher risks of intra-state conflict and kidnapping.
- Travel to Manipur state should be reconsidered owing to an ongoing intra-state conflict involving rival ethnic militant groups.
- Non-essential travel to Jammu and Kashmir should be avoided due to elevated risks of external conflict and the presence of separatist groups.