UK issues India travel alert after Pahalgam attacks; Here’s what travellers must know

Dubai: The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advisory for India, issuing specific warnings to its citizens following the recent attacks in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

British citizens have been asked to keep away from areas within 10km of the India-Pakistan border, with the Wagah-Attari border closed. Approaching unmarked border sections in Gujarat and Rajasthan has also been highlighted as potentially dangerous.

The move made by FCDO was triggered in response to the deadly terror attack on tourists visiting the hill station, often nicknamed the Switzerland of India, resulting in the death of 26 civilians.

The advisory asked its citizens to stay away from the majority of Jammu and Kashmir, encompassing popular tourist spots like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, the city of Srinagar, and the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

“Exceptions are made for travel by air to and from the city of Jammu, within the city of Jammu, and within the Union Territory of Ladakh,” it said.

For Manipur, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel, including the capital, Imphal. The advisory also details regional risks in other parts of India, including other North-Eastern states and specific rural and forested districts.

The FCDO recommends that British nationals review its overall travel advice and specific safety and security guidance for India in addition to these regional warnings. Travellers are urged to stay vigilant, monitor local media, and follow the advice of local authorities and their travel companies, it said in a statement.

Britain has recently revised its advice for citizens travelling to the United States to include a warning that anyone breaking its entry rules could face arrest or detention.