In a brand new journey advisory issued on Friday, the US State Department lowered the India Travel Advisory Level to 2 on a scale of 1 to 4 with the latter being the very best.

The State Department in a separate advisory, a day earlier, had put Pakistan on Level 3 and requested its residents to rethink their journey particularly its restive provinces resulting from terrorism and sectarian violence.

“Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism,” mentioned the State Department.

“Do not travel to: The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest. Within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict,” it mentioned.

According to the journey advisory, “Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations.” The advisory mentioned that “terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities.”

“The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal as US government employees must obtain special authorisation to travel to these areas,” mentioned the journey advisory.