Omar Abdullah calls on MEA to seek revocation of travel advisories on J&K
Several countries like the US have travel advisories in place, asking their citizens to not visit Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to leverage diplomatic channels to persuade countries like the US, UK, Australia, and EU to revise or withdraw travel advisories cautioning against visits to the region.
Speaking to Hindustan Times on the sidelines of an Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) conference on Aviation and Tourism on Monday, Abdullah said, “It’s the Ministry of External Affairs that needs to use its diplomatic might to actually now start getting these travel advisories written down. That would be the single biggest proof, acknowledged internationally, that J&K has changed for the better.”
He stressed that while local authorities have consistently highlighted improvements in the region’s security situation, global recognition would only follow if foreign governments formally amended their advisories. “Up until now, it’s just us saying [J&K is safe]. You need the international community to acknowledge that,” Abdullah noted, adding that such acknowledgment would materialise once advisories are “watered down and finally done away with.”
The chief minister stated his administration would collaborate with the central government, particularly the MEA, to prioritise engagement with nations maintaining stringent advisories. He reiterated that revised travel guidelines from these countries would serve as a definitive endorsement of the region’s transformation.
Abdullah also said that his government will look at the J&K Tourism Policy formulated in 2020 and see whether a new policy is needed to have better foreign tourist outcomes.
The appeal comes amid sustained efforts by Jammu and Kashmir to revive tourism, a critical sector for its economy, following years of instability. International travel advisories from key Western nations have remained a persistent hurdle in attracting foreign tourists.
Several countries have travel advisories in place, asking their citizens to not visit Jammu and Kashmir. In its travel advisory issued in July last year, the US government asked its citizens to exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. “Some areas have increased risk. 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,” the advisory said.
Other countries such as U.K., EU member states, Australia, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand are also maintaining travel advisories against visiting the region. These advisories cite risks such as terrorism, civil unrest, military activity near border areas, kidnapping, cross-border shelling, and unpredictable security conditions. Following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, several nations updated advisories to reflect heightened concerns, though updates have lagged despite reported improvements.
For travellers, these advisories result in the invalidation of insurance policies for trips to J&K, restricted consular assistance in emergencies, and potential legal repercussions in home countries if incidents occur. For the region, the advisories affect tourism-dependent economic activity. While tourist numbers reached 2.36 crore in 2024, foreign tourist footfall remains minimal, with just 65,452 foreign tourists visiting the valley.
