The Australian government has changed its travel advice for India.

Key points
  • The government is advising people to reconsider travel to certain states in northeast India.
  • He repeated the travel ban warning for some areas near Pakistan.
  • It says travelers should be aware of several serious risks.
The Australian government has updated its travel advice for India, warning people to reconsider travel to parts of the northeast and some border areas due to the risk of violence.
Travelers anywhere in India should “generally exercise a high degree of caution … due to the high threat of terrorist activity, civil unrest and crime,” the department said in an update. released on Tuesday.
“Now we advise (you) to reconsider the need to travel to the Atari Wagah border crossing, the northeastern states of Assam (except Guwahati), Nagaland and Manipur; and Chhattisgarh, as well as the border areas of neighboring states due to the high risk of violence,” the website says.

Human Rights Watch reports that alleged attacks and killings along the India-Bangladesh border have been going on for at least a decade.

According to media reports, some rebel groups are operating in the northeast of India.
In 2021, violent clashes along the disputed border between Assam and Mizoram resulted in deaths and several civilians were killed by security forces in Nagaland near the border with Myanmar.
Nagaland and Manipur share a common border with Myanmar, which is in the grips of civil war.
The government maintained its “no travel” recommendation to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (with the exception of the union territory of Ladakh) and the India-Pakistan border.
The government says this is due to the risk of armed clashes, terrorist activities and violent demonstrations.

“If you need to go to this place, seek professional safety advice. Your insurance policy may not be valid.”

Three Air India planes on the runway

The Australian government says people traveling to India should watch the media for new and existing risks.

The recommendation excludes the Atari Wagah border crossing between the Indian city of Amritsar and the Pakistani city of Lahore, which attracts a large number of tourists.

Both India and Pakistan claim all of Muslim-majority Kashmir but control only part of it, and the risk of conflict in the province has barely changed for more than 75 years.
“Watch the media for new and existing risks” is the latest piece of advice given to people traveling in India.
The update added that anyone traveling to India should “watch the media for new and existing risks.”

SBS News has requested comment from DFAT.