Canadians eyeing travel to India or Pakistan right now might want to reconsider their plans, after the Government of Canada just updated its travel advisories with some pretty serious warnings.
With escalating conflict in the region and safety concerns mounting fast, the federal government is urging travellers to rethink or even cancel their plans altogether.
According to the updated travel warnings, Canadians are being told to exercise a high degree of caution across both India and Pakistan, due to what officials are calling a "rapidly evolving" security situation, and to completely avoid all travel to specific regions of each country.
These new Canada travel advisories come after a wave of military strikes, cross-border attacks and a sharp rise in violence between India and Pakistan — all of which have led to air travel disruptions, closed borders and fears of further escalation.
India travel advisory
Per Canada's latest travel advisory for India, Canadians are now being told to avoid all travel to Jammu and Kashmir (excluding Ladakh), as well as areas within 10 kilometres of the Pakistan border in the states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.
The advisory highlights the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and landmines in these areas, and cautions that the Attari-Wagah border crossing is currently closed altogether.
Travellers are also being told to avoid non-essential travel to the northeastern states of Assam and Manipur, where the government says insurgent and extremist groups are active. In these areas, attacks on local authorities and ethnic tensions have been on the rise.
Even in some major cities like Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai, the government warns that consular services are temporarily unavailable. If you're in those areas and need help, you'll need to contact Canada's High Commission in New Delhi or the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.
Pakistan travel advisory
Over in Pakistan, the Canadian government is also urging citizens to exercise a high degree of caution — or flat-out avoid travelling to certain regions altogether. That includes Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Balochistan, the Line of Control, and much of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which are all flagged due to terrorism, civil unrest and the risk of kidnapping.
Canadians are also being warned to avoid all travel to border regions, including areas within 50 kilometres of the Afghanistan border and most areas within 10 kilometres of borders with India, China and Iran.
The city of Karachi is also under a warning to avoid non-essential travel because of ongoing violence and terrorist threats. Meanwhile, the Canadian government warns that "that situation could deteriorate rapidly" and that airspace and airports across the country could close with little notice.
The updated advisory also notes that a state of emergency has been declared in Punjab, and that Canadians should "be vigilant and prepared to shelter in place" if needed. Security forces in cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore and Islamabad are now on high alert.
What Canadians should do
If you're already in India or Pakistan — or have family there — the federal government is urging you to stay alert, monitor local news and follow instructions from local authorities. Be prepared for curfews, security checks and possible lockdowns. In some cases, Canadians have been advised to keep a low profile and avoid crowded areas like transit stations and public markets.
The government notes that there's also been growing anti-Canada sentiment in parts of India, which it links to "calls for protests" and negative media coverage. In places like Delhi, it says Canadians could face intimidation or harassment and should avoid sharing personal information with strangers.
The government notes that the level of tension between India and Pakistan can shift quickly — and Canadians who've travelled between the two might be scrutinized by officials. With the Attari-Wagah border crossing currently closed and flight cancellations becoming more common, moving between the countries could be risky right now.
Anyone travelling through the area is advised to monitor local and international media for updates on the situation, follow the instructions of local authorities, and check in with their airline and be ready to change plans at the last minute.
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