India Travel Risk Overview
Is India safe right now? Checked 17 October 2026
India scores 60/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates India Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 16 Jun 2025); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 7 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
India has a Travel Risk Calculator score of 60 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); city-level files are available for 60 cities. The score combines five layers (security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards, current alerts) built from government advisories and open data. This page also covers nine safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for India, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized India assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 17, 2026
India maintains an elevated risk level with a baseline composite score of 60 out of 100 and a US State Department advisory level of 2. An ongoing drought affects Southern India, and a Level 1 global measles health notice is in effect. Recent developments include flight cancellations to Saudi Arabia, safety advisories issued for nationals regarding Houthi attacks, and diplomatic concerns raised over a temple attack plot in the US.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 17, 2026 12:22 UTC
How safe is India to visit in 2026?
India currently sits at 60/100 on Travel Risk Calculator's five-layer score, which puts it in the elevated-risk tier. Travelers should plan India trips more carefully than the global average. Register with your embassy, check the live advisory in the section below, and read the per-city files for your specific destination. The full live US State Department advisory text for India, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Hyderābād, Delhi, Chennai), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Data file
| Source | calibrated 2026-05-09 v1.0 (knowledge-based; State Dept advisory tiers, GPI, OSAC patterns) |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2026-05-09 11:01:52 |
| City files | 60 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Safety categories
Official Government Travel Advisories
Cross-referenced official travel advice from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, normalized to a unified 1–4 risk scale.
Department of State
Exercise increased cautionin India due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Violent crime and terrorism occur in India. Rape is one of the fa…
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
FCDO travel advice for India. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
Global Affairs Canada
Natural disasters and climate section – added information on El Niño
UK content contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canadian advice provided by Global Affairs Canada under open government terms. US advice provided by the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Entry Requirements & Local Laws
Official travel advice summary from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
🛂 Entry Requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of India’s current rules for the most common types of travel. The authorities in India set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the High Commission of India in London or another Indian consulate in the UK. Passport validity requirements To enter India, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has
Summary of UK FCDO advice, updated Oct 7, 2026 · Full requirements →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Travel Advisory Level History
Historical official advisory level changes over time.
Protests, Strikes & Closures This Week
Verified recent event reports monitored for India within the last 7 days.
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Amnesty International · Oct 14
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The Guardian · Oct 14
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Reuters · Oct 13
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BBC · Oct 13
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UNREST Why a wave of ‘Cockroach’ protesters are defying India’s bid to stamp out their movement - NBC NewsNBC News · Oct 13
What Changed This Month in India
Chronological record of verified security, advisory, health, and hazard updates over the past 30 days.
- Aug 31, 2026 GDACS Alert Drought is on going in Southern India (green).
- May 28, 2025 CDC Notice Level 1 - Global Measles (Watch).
- Oct 17, 2026 Score Change Rupāna risk score moved from 50 to 49 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
- Oct 17, 2026 Score Change Pakka Kalān risk score moved from 51 to 50 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
- Oct 17, 2026 Score Change Kotli Ablu risk score moved from 51 to 50 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
City Risk Files in India
Showing 60 destination files with city-specific safety data in India, ranked by demand and population.
Hyderābād
Tier ATelangāna
Delhi
Tier ADelhi
Chennai
Tier ATamil Nādu
Kolkāta
Tier AWest Bengal
Mumbai
Tier AMahārāshtra
Pune
Tier AMahārāshtra
Bangalore
Tier AKarnātaka
Shimla
Tier AHimāchal Pradesh
Lucknow
Tier AUttar Pradesh
Kottārasshēri
Tier AKerala
Bhopāl
Tier AMadhya Pradesh
Peyanvilai
Tier ATamil Nādu
Guwāhāti
Tier AAssam
Aurangābād
Tier AMahārāshtra
Abhepur
Tier BHaryāna
Vasai-Virar
Tier BMahārāshtra
Jaipur
Tier BRājasthān
Chalgeri
Tier BKarnātaka
Unnāo
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Jamshedpur
Tier BJhārkhand
Amritsar
Tier BPunjab
Vārānasi
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Srīnagar
Tier BJammu and Kashmīr
Ahmedabad
Tier BGujarāt
Āgra
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Madurai
Tier BTamil Nādu
Jodhpur
Tier BRājasthān
Mysore
Tier BKarnātaka
Vishākhapatnam
Tier BAndhra Pradesh
Indore
Tier BMadhya Pradesh
Ghāziābād
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Morādābād
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Noida
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Belāhi
Tier BBihār
Jabalpur
Tier BMadhya Pradesh
Bāli
Tier BWest Bengal
Thāne
Tier BMahārāshtra
New Delhi
Tier BDelhi
Jorhāt
Tier BAssam
Sūrat
Tier BGujarāt
Prayagraj
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Vijayavāda
Tier BAndhra Pradesh
Pānīpat
Tier BHaryāna
Pānihāti
Tier BWest Bengal
Kannankulam
Tier BKerala
Kota
Tier BRājasthān
Solāpur
Tier BMahārāshtra
Trichinopoly
Tier BTamil Nādu
Verāval
Tier BGujarāt
Banga
Tier BPunjab
Rājkot
Tier BGujarāt
Bhiwandi
Tier BMahārāshtra
Delhi Cantonment
Tier BDelhi
Silchar
Tier BAssam
Balwa
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Meerut
Tier BUttar Pradesh
Hāora
Tier BWest Bengal
Raipur
Tier BChhattīsgarh
Jalandhar
Tier BPunjab
Jammu
Tier BJammu and Kashmīr
All towns in India (5,623 additional local facts pages)
These localities carry verified regional geography, nearest hospitals, airports, and natural hazard records with the country baseline risk score.
Live conditions in India
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
India - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track India’s advisory
Get one email if the US State Department travel-advisory level for India changes. No account, unsubscribe anytime.
Traveller notes from government advice
Advice for women travellers
There is a risk of sexual assault, including attacks on female foreign national visitors in tourist areas and cities.
Female travellers often experience verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men. Serious sexual attacks involving both Indian and foreign nationals have been reported. British women have been victims of sexual assault, including rape, in multiple states in India. Avoid isolated areas, including beaches, when alone at any time of day.
See advice for women travelling abroad.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 7 Oct 2026. Full advice
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual relationships are legal in India. However same-sex marriage is illegal. Indian society is conservative. This includes attitudes to LGBT+ people, which can be less accepting than in the UK. There is a risk of harassment and discrimination, especially outside of big cities. Showing affection in public may attract unwanted and negative attention.
See more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 7 Oct 2026. Full advice
Local laws and customs
Dress code
Respect local dress code and customs, particularly when visiting religious sites and rural areas.
Alcohol laws and bans
Laws on alcohol, including buying, drinking and the legal drinking age, vary by state. Get advice from your travel agent, hotel or the authorities about the laws in areas you are visiting.
It is illegal to drink alcohol in public places, such as parks.
In some states, foreign nationals and non-resident Indians can buy 30-day alcohol permits.
There is often a ban on the sale of alcohol during major religious festivals, national holidays and elections. Police can carry out vehicle checks during this period.
The consumption, production or transportation of alcohol is illegal in:
Bihar
Gujarat
Mizoram
Nagaland
Union Territory of Lakshadweep
If you drink or possess alcohol in these states, you could be arrested and held without bail. You could face a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years.
Read the full UK government advice
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 7 Oct 2026. Full advice
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of India’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in India set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the High Commission of India in London or another Indian consulate in the UK.
Passport validity requirements
To enter India, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 7 Oct 2026. Official entry requirements
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
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Drought is on going in Southern India GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-31
The Drought notification level is Green.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-17 12:22:01 UTC
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
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Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-17 06:34:10 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for India. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Automated safety monitor
Recent safety-relevant news for India
Headlines are an early-warning monitor, not risk assessments. Verify material developments with official authorities and the linked publisher.
- Politics India’s ‘cockroach’ movement demands election chief’s resignation - Al Jazeera www.aljazeera.com · Sep 25, 2026 13:17 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety Crackdown on Dirty Kitchens Spawns Food Safety Sleuths in India - Bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com · Sep 25, 2026 12:47 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics India Electoral Protest - Dayton Daily News www.daytondailynews.com · Sep 25, 2026 10:10 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics India Electoral Protest - Messenger-Inquirer www.messenger-inquirer.com · Sep 25, 2026 10:10 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics India news: Protests against election chief escalate as Gandhi, Cockroach party allege 'rigged' vote - DW.com www.dw.com · Sep 25, 2026 09:52 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics India's viral Cockroach Party calls election panel head 'biggest threat' to democracy. Here's why it matters - CNBC www.cnbc.com · Sep 25, 2026 07:09 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Indian police use tear gas against protesters seeking chief election commissioner's resignation - Reuters www.reuters.com · Sep 25, 2026 06:20 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety India rape cases turn focus back onto women’s safety - The Japan Times www.japantimes.co.jp · Sep 25, 2026 05:22 UTC · via Googlenews
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit India
The most weather-stable two-month window for India is November–December, when typical daily temperatures run from about 9°C to 28°C and monthly rain averages 7 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include extreme heat in April–June; monsoon in July. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Jul 20, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 100 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 102 |
| Fire | 101 |
| General emergency | 112 |
Latest AI-assisted briefing for India
Mumbai presents moderate safety risks driven by ongoing traffic disruptions along key regional corridors and scheduled high-level diplomatic visits. Travelers should anticipate congestion and security cordons during high-profile itineraries.
Top risk drivers
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Farmers' protest disrupts Mumbai-Bengaluru highway
· transport_route
Traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway (NH 48) has experienced significant disruptions near the Maharashtra-Karnataka border due to ongoing farmer demonstrations.
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High-level diplomatic visit security measures
· political
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Mumbai and Jamnagar, which will likely prompt heightened security deployments and temporary movement restrictions.
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Moderate financial security and payment vulnerabilities
· money_safety
Money safety baseline score of 50 indicates moderate vulnerability to financial scams or card skimming risks.
Recent intelligence
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to visit Jamnagar, Mumbai from Oct 17-22 [source]
- Farmers' protest hits Mumbai-Bengaluru highway traffic; Google Maps asked to mark stretch closed [source]
Live intelligence cited 8 public-source snippets. Every claim above is grounded in one of them — verify any specific detail by following the snippet links on the full assessment page.
Frequently asked questions
Is India dangerous?
India currently scores 60/100 on our composite travel risk index (elevated risk; lower is safer). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Is India safe to visit right now?
India has heightened risk profile. Plan carefully, register with your embassy, and check the live advisory and per-city details below. Composite baseline: 60/100 (Elevated risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed October 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for India?
The current US State Department advisory level for India is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
When is the best time to visit India?
November–December is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for India is November–December, when typical daily temperatures run from about 9°C to 28°C and monthly rain averages 7 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in India?
extreme heat: April–June; monsoon: July.
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.