United States Department of State

“ In order to drive in India, one must have either a valid Indian drivers’ license or a valid international drivers’ license. Because of difficult road and traffic conditions, many Americans who visit India choose to hire a local driver.
On Indian roads, the safest driving policy is to assume that other drivers will not respond to a traffic situation in the same way you would in the United States. For instance, buses and trucks often run red lights and merge directly into traffic at yield points and traffic circles. ”

“ If a driver hits a pedestrian or a cow, the vehicle and its occupants are at risk of being attacked by passersby. Such attacks pose significant risk of injury or death to the vehicle's occupants or at least of incineration of the vehicle. It can thus be unsafe to remain at the scene of an accident of this nature, and drivers may instead wish to seek out the nearest police station. ”

“ While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning India is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Travel by road in India is dangerous. A number of U.S. citizens have suffered fatal traffic accidents in recent years. Travel at night is particularly hazardous. Buses, patronized by hundreds of millions of Indians, are convenient in that they serve almost every city of any size. ”

“ Americans wishing to visit India are responsible for requesting the correct type of visa from the Indian Embassy or Consulate, as there generally are no provisions for changing one’s immigration category (e.g., from tourist to work visa) once admitted. Foreign citizens whose primary purpose of travel is to participate in religious activities should obtain a missionary visa rather than a tourist visa. Indian immigration authorities have deported American citizens who entered India with a tourist visa and conducted religious activities. ”

“ Visitors to Mumbai should be extremely vigilant when traveling along the roads leading from the domestic and international airports. Locals and foreigners alike, including American citizens, have reported being robbed while traveling along these roads. In most cases, the victim took a taxi whose driver was complicit in the robbery. In other cases, men traveling on motorcycles stopped the traveler’s vehicle or taxi while en route from the airport, demanding money and/or the traveler’s luggage before driving off. ”

“ Because U.S. citizens' purchasing power is comparatively large relative to that of the general population, travelers also should always exercise modesty and caution in their financial dealings in India to reduce the chance of being a target for robbery or other serious crime. Gangs and criminal elements operate in major cities and have sometimes targeted unsuspecting businessmen for ransom. Visitors are cautioned to be aware of their environment and belongings, especially when taking night trains or buses. ”

“ The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad. ”

“ Travelers are encouraged to ask for the taxi’s registration number and compare it with the number of the actual vehicle being used. The murder and robbery of an Australian woman traveling alone in a pre-paid taxi contracted at the New Delhi airport in early 2004 demonstrates the need to exercise caution and to be sure that such taxis are properly licensed. Travelers should also exercise care when hiring transportation and/or guides and use only well-known travel agents to book trips. Some scam artists have lured travelers by displaying their name on a sign when they leave the airport. ”

“ Sporadic incidents of violence by ethnic insurgent groups, including the bombing of buses and trains, have been reported in parts of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya. While U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted, they may be affected as bystanders, as occurred in a grenade attack on a temple in Imphal, Manipur in 2006 in which two Americans were injured. Visitors to India’s Northeast states are cautioned not to travel outside major cities at night. ”

“ Those arriving without a visa are subject to immediate deportation. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are unable to assist when U.S. citizens arrive without visas. Each visitor should carry photocopies of the bio-data page of the traveler’s U.S. passport and the page containing the Indian visa in order to facilitate obtaining an exit visa from the Indian government in the event of theft or loss of the passport. ”

“ Anti-Western terrorist groups, some of which are on the U.S. government's list of foreign terrorist organizations, are believed to be active in India. Therefore, U.S. citizens should exercise particular vigilance when in the vicinity of government installations, visiting tourist sites, or attending public events throughout India. In particular, the disputed region of Kashmir in the state of Jammu & Kashmir has experienced an inordinate number of terrorist incidents, including several bombings in the capital city of Srinagar. ”

“ Another popular scam is to drop money or to squirt something on the clothing of an unsuspecting traveler and during the distraction to rob them of their valuables. Individual tourists have also been given drugged drinks or tainted food to make them more vulnerable to theft, particularly at train stations. Even food or drink purchased in front of the traveler from a canteen or vendor could be tainted. To protect against robbery of personal belongings, it is best not to accept food or drink from strangers. ”

“ Train travelers are urged to lock their sleeping compartments and take valuables with them when leaving their berths. Violent crime, especially directed against foreigners, has traditionally been at relatively low levels, although in recent years there has been an apparent increase in violent attacks directed against foreign tourists, including robbery, murder, and sexual assault. These attacks have mainly been directed at women traveling alone, but men have also been victimized. U.S. citizens, particularly women, are cautioned not to travel alone in India. ”

“ Demonstrations can occur or escalate spontaneously, posing risks to travelers' personal safety and disrupting transportation systems and city services. In response to such events, Indian authorities occasionally impose curfews and/or restrict travel. U.S. citizens are urged to avoid demonstrations and rallies as they have the potential for violence, especially immediately preceding and following elections. In addition, religious and inter-caste violence occasionally occurs unpredictably. ”

“ Petty crime, especially theft of personal property, is common, particularly on trains or buses throughout the country. Pickpockets can be very adept, and women have reported having their bags snatched, purse-straps cut or the bottom of their purses slit without their knowledge. Theft of U.S. passports is quite common, particularly in major tourist areas and on overnight trains. ”

“ Offers of cheap lodgings and meals also can place the traveler in the physical custody of the scam artist and can leave the traveler at the mercy of threats or even physical coercion.
While violent crime involving U.S. citizens is relatively rare in India, some years ago two U.S. citizens were murdered in the Haridwar/Rishikesh region of the state of Uttaranchal. In addition, an American citizen was found murdered in 2003 on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai highway. ”

“ While it may be common in other countries, travelers in India should never board a taxi holding existing passengers, nor should the traveler allow the taxi driver to pick up additional passengers while en route. If a taxi driver tells you that the other passenger is a personal friend or family member, exit the taxi and seek another taxi before departing the airport grounds. Many hotels offer free and secure transportation to/from the airport. ”

“ India, the world's largest democratic republic, has a very diverse population, geography and climate. India is the second most populous and the seventh largest country in the world in area. Tourist facilities varying in degree of comfort and amenities are widely available in the major population centers and main tourist areas. Read the Department of State Background Notes on India for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens require a passport and visa to enter and exit India for any purpose. ”

“ Frequent use of one's horn or flashing of headlights to announce one’s presence is both customary and wise. It is usually preferable to have a licensed experienced driver who has a "feel" for road and driving conditions. ”

“ Cars, auto-rickshaws, bicycles and pedestrians behave only slightly more cautiously. Indian drivers tend to look only ahead and often consider themselves responsible only for traffic in front of them, not behind or to the side. ”

“ Some vendors sell rugs or other expensive items that may not be of the quality promised. Travelers should deal only with reputable businesses and should not hand over credit cards or money unless they are certain that goods being shipped to them are the goods they purchased. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is best avoided. Most Indian states have official tourism bureaus set up to handle travelers’ complaints. The Internet addresses for these offices are available at http://www.tourismofindia.com/foot/links.htm. ”

“ Both India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the LOC. The only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Atari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. ”

“ For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, can be found. ”

“ A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. The border crossing is currently open. However, travelers are advised to confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel.
Both India and Pakistan claim an area of the Karakoram mountain range that includes the Siachen glacier. The ceasefire in Kashmir that took effect in November 2003 has also been in effect on the glacier. U.S. citizens traveling to or climbing peaks in the disputed areas face significant risks. ”

“ In January 2006, eighteen separate explosions occurred throughout the state of Assam, including the capital Guwahati, targeting public places, power, oil and security-related sites. In December 2005, a gunman opened fire on participants of an international conference on the Indian Institute of Science campus in Bangalore, Karnataka, killing a prominent Indian scientist. In October 2005, a suicide bomber and a security guard were killed during a bomb attack on a police station located in an upscale neighborhood of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. ”

“ Such schemes often pull the unsuspecting traveler in over the course of several days and begin with a new "friend" who offers to show the traveler the sights so that the "friend can practice his English." ”

“ Indian customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from India of items such as firearms, antiquities, electronic equipment, currency, ivory, gold objects, and other prohibited materials. Even transit passengers require permission from the Government of India to bring in such items. ”

“ If traveling for business, ask your company to arrange a private car to transport you between the airport and your hotel. If you must travel to/from the airport by taxi, arrange a fixed-price taxi with one of the taxi services with offices inside the airport terminal. ”

“ Outside major cities, main roads and other roads are poorly maintained and congested. Even main roads often have only two lanes, with poor visibility and inadequate warning markers. On the few divided highways one can expect to meet local transportation traveling in the wrong direction, often without lights. ”

“ Some terrorist violence also marred the national parliamentary polls in April/May 2004. Terrorists focused in spring and summer of 2006 on buses carrying tourists and pilgrims, killing dozens in several grenade attacks in areas throughout the Kashmir Valley.
India-Pakistan Border: The State Department recommends that U.S. citizens avoid travel to areas within approximately five to ten kilometers of the border between India and Pakistan in the states of Gujarat, Punjab (other than the Atari/Wagah border crossing near Amritsar) , Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir. ”

“ However, they are usually driven fast, recklessly, and without consideration for official rules of the road. Accidents are quite common. Trains are somewhat safer than buses, but train accidents still occur more frequently than in developed countries. ”