NEW DELHI: As rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India, the US State Department has issued a sudden level-2 travel warning to the country, which urges travelers to “exercise increased caution”.
In an advisory issued recently said, due to crime and terrorism, some areas in India have increased risk. “Rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations…” the advisory said.
“The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas. These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. Due to risks, US government employees working in India must obtain special authorization to travel to these states,” the advisory said.
Specifying the dos and the don’ts, the advisory mentioned that “Do not travel alone, especially if you are a woman”.
Due to the changing nature of the threat, US government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to traveling to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal Meghalaya and Odisha. Manipur, the Northeastern states also found special mention in the updated travel advisory.
The U.S. travel advisory paints a grim picture of India’s worsening record on gender-based violence, identifying sexual assault as one of the fastest-growing and most alarming crimes across the country. From tourist destinations to public spaces, women face increasing threats of sexual violence, compounded by the ever-looming risk of sudden terrorist incidents. High-risk areas such as eastern Maharashtra, northern Telangana, central Chhattisgarh, and parts of West Bengal have been flagged—even U.S. government personnel require special authorization to enter these zones.
These warnings are not new; global studies have repeatedly ranked India as the most dangerous country for women, even surpassing war-torn nations like Syria and Afghanistan.
An average of 86 rapes per day and over 31,500 cases in 2022 alone—the Indian leadership appears more focused on external optics than internal reform. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s invocation of “Operation Sindoor” as revenge against Pakistan dangerously politicizes women’s suffering under the guise of nationalism.
Human rights defenders, like Dr. Anjali Rao, accuse the Modi regime of weaponizing women’s pain for political gain while failing to provide real protection. Until India confronts this crisis honestly and transparently, its aspirations of global moral leadership remain deeply compromised.
