‘Reconsider Travel To North-East India’, U.S. Cautions Officers & Citizens

The US has advised its citizens not to travel to certain parts of India due to safety concerns. This includes areas like Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border, and regions in central and eastern India affected by Naxalite activities.

In a new travel advisory, the State Department updated its guidance on the northeastern states of India.

“Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk,” the advisory states.

India has been placed at Level 2 overall, but specific regions have been designated as Level 4, indicating a higher risk. These regions are:

– Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest
– Within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to potential armed conflict
– Parts of Central and East India due to terrorism
– Manipur due to violence and crime

The advisory also suggests reconsidering travel to northeastern states due to terrorism and violence.

“Indian authorities report that rape is one of the fastest-growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has happened at tourist sites and other locations. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, and government facilities,” the advisory warns.

The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in rural areas stretching from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. US government employees must obtain special authorization to travel to these areas.

For Manipur, which is at Level 4, the advisory states: “Do not travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime. Ongoing ethnic-based civil conflict has resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement. Attacks against Indian government targets occur regularly.”

Similarly, in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible. “Do not travel to this region (except for eastern Ladakh and its capital, Leh). Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan. It also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam.”

The advisory highlights that the only official border crossing for non-citizens of India or Pakistan is between Attari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. Travelers need a Pakistani visa to enter Pakistan, which must be obtained before traveling to India.

Maoist extremist groups, known as Naxalites, are active across a large area from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. These groups have carried out numerous attacks targeting local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials.

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US government employees must get permission before traveling to many areas in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha, except for their capital cities. Approval is also required to travel to the eastern regions of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Northeastern states are rated as Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to occasional acts of violence by ethnic insurgent groups, including bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets. There have been no recent reports of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, or Tripura. However, US government employees need prior approval before visiting Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and any areas outside of the capital cities in Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura.