India 2020 Crime & Safety Report: New Delhi This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in the Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Union Territories of Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s India country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses most of India at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk: do not travel to the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir due to terrorism and civil unrest; and do not travel to within ten kilometers of the border with Pakistan due to the potential for armed conflict. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed New Delhi as being a MEDIUM-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Crimes do occur, but they rarely target foreigners. New Delhi’s largest concern of crime toward foreigners continues to be the verbal and physical harassment of women. A handful of U.S. citizens reported incidents of verbal and physical harassment to the Embassy. Although most victims have been local residents, attacks against female visitors in tourist areas underline the fact that foreign women are also at risk and should exercise vigilance and situational awareness. Review OSAC’s Report, Resources for Female Travelers & Personnel - New Delhi (India) Consular District. Petty crimes (e.g. pickpocketing, purse snatching) are very common on public transport and roads. Theft of U.S. passports is also common, particularly in major tourist areas, on trains, at airports, and metro/train stations. Carry a photocopy of your passport and visa, but leave your passport in a safe place. Be aware of being bumped or pushed. Review OSAC’s report, All That You Should Leave Behind. Before entering an underground pedestrian crosswalk, be aware of who is around. Be alert for gangs of youths, con artists, and beggars, including disabled persons. Be wary of unexpected persons coming to your hotel room. Never open the door to unsolicited room service or maintenance personnel. Contact the front desk if you have any doubts. Leave valuables and important papers secured in your hotel's safe deposit box. Make sure to give luggage only to a member of the hotel's bell staff, and to secure a receipt. Review OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. If you schedule a meeting with a potential client, research the company and the individual with whom you are meeting. Meet in a public place. 1 Criminals sometimes attempt to drug drinks in order to steal money and possessions or conduct sexual assaults. U.S. travelers have received drugged drinks or tainted food in an effort to make them more vulnerable to theft, particularly at train stations. When in a bar/restaurant, keep a close watch over your drink, and do not accept a drink from anyone you do not know/trust. Even food or drink purchased from a canteen or vendor could be tainted. Review OSAC’s Report Shaken: The Don’ts of Alcohol Abroad. Cybersecurity Issues Theft of financial information and identity theft have become significant concerns. The diplomatic community has numerous instances of local bank account compromise. Advance fee fraud schemes are common in India, and instances of ATM skimmers have been reported. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, and Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices. Transportation-Safety Situation Road Safety and Road Conditions Travel by road is dangerous. India leads the world in traffic-related deaths, which have included U.S. citizens. Traffic travels on the left and often does not stop for pedestrians, even in marked pedestrian crossings; therefore, it is important to be alert while crossing streets and intersections, especially after dark. Try to use only vehicles that have seatbelts, which are uncommon in taxis. Always wear helmets on motorcycles and bicycles. People drive erratically. If a driver hits a pedestrian or a cow, the vehicle and its occupants are at risk of retributive mob violence. These attacks pose a significant risk of injury/death to the vehicle's occupants and impounding of the vehicle. If it is unsafe to remain at the scene of an accident, try to reach the nearest police station. Driving under the influence of alcohol, exceeding 30 mg per 100ml of blood detected by a breath analyzer (.03 BAC equivalent), is punishable under Indian law. When driving, strictly obey traffic regulations and carry your registration and license. Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Public Transportation Conditions Indians use public transportation extensively. Buses and metro rail are the cheapest, most frequently used means of public transportation. When using public transportation, always exercise caution with your bags and refrain from sharing details of your identity and travel plans. If you take public transportation in rush hour or visit crowded places, hold your bag in front of you. Scam artists often use major airports, train stations, metro stations, popular restaurants, and tourist sites to prey on visitors, often creating a distraction to accomplish their goals. Interstate trains are safer than buses, but train accidents do occur more frequently than in other countries, especially at night. Theft aboard trains along popular tourist routes is common. Criminals can drug food/drink offered to passengers. Where possible, lock your compartment. If you must sleep, position your luggage so that you would awaken if someone attempted to tamper with it. Alert authorities 2 if you feel threatened. Extra police often ride trains on routes where crime is a serious problem. Review OSAC’s report, Travelers’ Guide to Indian Transportation Security. Always use a commercial or official taxi/bus service. Travelers have fallen victim to nefarious activity that often occurs in unregulated buses/taxis. Do not enter any vehicle carrying unfamiliar passengers. Use pre- paid taxis, as the Delhi Traffic Police govern the system. In this system, you pay in advance for taxi fare, pre-approved by Delhi Transport Authority for each destination. When you are in the car, sit in the rear seat, lock the doors from the inside, and do not allow the driver to accept additional passengers. Beware of taxi drivers and train porters who lure travelers by offering cheap transportation to a destination. Obtain taxis from hotels and pre-paid taxis at airports rather than hailing them on the street. Never take advice from taxi drivers regarding your stay/tour. Web-based taxi services like Ola and Uber are popular in India. If you decide to use one of these web-based services, verify the license plate of the vehicle before you enter it. It is not uncommon for other vehicles and drivers to attempt to steal fares. Become familiar with your web-based application for the service you choose, as many have emergency help options. Aviation/Airport Conditions Contact the "May I help you" counter in the airport Arrival Hall for help and guidance. Adequate coverage by uniformed police patrols outside the arrival hall and in the parking area. In addition, police officers in plain clothes also keep watch on suspicious activity. You can contact the nearest police officer to report any undesirable element. Terrorism Threat The U.S. Department of State has assessed New Delhi as being a HIGH-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. India continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities that can affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly. Terror attacks have targeted public places (e.g. hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, restaurants in large urban areas) including some Westerners frequent. Attacks have generally occurred during the busy evening hours in markets and other crowded places, but they could occur any time. Anti-Western terrorist groups, including some appearing on the U.S. government's list of foreign terrorist organizations (e.g. Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e- Mohammed, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba,) are active. The Department of State strongly recommends avoiding travel to Jammu & Kashmir because of a high potential for terrorist incidents and violent public unrest. The U.S. government prohibits its employees from traveling to Jammu & Kashmir without permission; the U.S. Embassy grants permission only in exceptional circumstances. A number of terrorist groups target security forces, particularly along the Line of Control (LOC) separating Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and those stationed in primary tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley (e.g. Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam). Foreigners are particularly visible, vulnerable, and at risk. Serious communal violence left the state mostly paralyzed due to massive strikes and business shutdowns, and local police have had to evacuate U.S. citizens in harm’s way. 3 Maoists (“Naxalites”) are the most active insurgent group in India. Naxalites typically attack government officials/buildings, destroy public institutions (derailing rail lines), and sometimes kidnap foreigners. While they are responsible for more terrorist attacks in India than any other organization, they have not specifically targeted U.S.