The US government has issued a level-2 travel advisory for India and warned US citizens, especially women, not to travel alone in the country.
The US state department urged travellers to 鈥榚xercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism鈥� as 鈥榬ape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India鈥� and that 鈥榲iolent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations鈥� in a statement released on its website on June 16.
The statement also adds that 鈥榯errorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls and government facilities'.
The state department adds that the US government has 鈥榣imited ability to provide emergency services to U S citizens in rural areas. These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal.鈥�
鈥楧ue to the risks, US government employees working in India must obtain special authorisation to travel to these areas,鈥� mentions the statement.
US citizens have been urged to purchase insurance before travelling to India and to check with travel insurance providers about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
The statement asks US citizens not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir except for visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital due to terrorism and civil unrest.
It also asks its citizens not to travel to the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict and not to travel to parts of central and east India due to terrorism.
It also adds that US government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to travel to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Odisha and permission is not required if employees are travelling only to the capital cities of these states.
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 asks citizens not to travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime and to reconsider travelling to Northeastern states due to terrorism and violence.
Besides, US government employees working in India will require prior approval before visiting the states of Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as when visiting any areas outside of the capital cities of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura.