Terrorism, Naxalism, and Rapes: US Issues New India Travel Advisory, Especially for Women

A 16 June 2025 travel advisory issued by the United States government has asked its citizens not to travel alone in India, especially women visiting India.

It has asked United States citizens not to travel to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh beyond Leh and the eastern parts of Ladakh, citing "terrorism and civil unrest".

The advisory says, "Violence also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam."

It has marked the India-Pakistan border as a whole "due to potential for armed conflict", while it has laid out the exact modalities for its citizens to follow in case they want to apply for a visa to Pakistan while in India.

The US government's State Department has marked out "parts of central and east India" as places where its citizens should not travel. It has said, "Maoist extremist groups, or 'Naxalites', are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal." The advisory is based on the US government's assessment that the nature of the "threat" of travelling to certain parts of India is "changing". US government officials working in India are now required to obtain permission prior to visiting most areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Odisha, other than the capitals of these states.

It has also cautioned US citizens of "risk for immigration related detention and fines" for taking the land route from India into Nepal. It has emphasised that India takes violations of immigration laws "very seriously", and that electronic visas are not accepted for land crossings into India. "Even those with physical visas have faced issues, including detention and hefty court expenses, due to misunderstandings over permitted travel and durations of stay."

The advisory says, "Do not travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime." It cites the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state, attacks against Indian government officials, and the existing requirement of prior approval for US government employees to enter the region.

The US advisory says American citizens must "reconsider travel to [northeastern states] due to terrorism and violence." It refers to ethnic insurgent groups that "occasionally commit acts of violence" in parts of the northeast, including bombings of buses, trains, rail lines and markets. It clarifies that there have been no reports of late of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim or Tripura, which appears to make the travel advisory (reconsider travel) a little confusing.

The Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution' travel advisory has the most concerning aspects related to women travellers, saying "rapeis one of the fastest growing crimes in India" and that "violent rimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations."

'It also says that terrorists may attack with "little or no warning", targeting a variety of sites.

It says the US government has "limited ability" to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas of India.

A travel advisory is a report from the US Department of State that describes the risks and recommends precautions for US citizens travelling to different countries. A Level 1 and Level 2 travel advisory is issued every 12 months, or updated when conditions change substantially. The 'Reconsider travel' recommendation for the northeastern states is a Level 3 advisory, which is issued at least every six months.