Escalating Conflict Between India and Pakistan
The Australian government has issued an urgent travel advisory, warning citizens against traveling to India and Pakistan due to escalating conflict between the two nations. The advisory, published on Smarttraveller, urges Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in India and reconsider travel to Pakistan.
Smarttraveller warns of potential flight disruptions due to airport closures, particularly in northwest India, which borders Pakistan. Travelers are cautioned that airline schedules may be affected by the unfolding conflict. The advisory specifically advises against travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the entire India-Pakistan border, and Manipur, while Ladakh remains separate in terms of security status.
Australians are urged to reconsider any planned trips to Pakistan due to a volatile security situation. DFAT recommends monitoring local news, vigilance, and adherence to official warnings. The advisory cites a high threat of terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and civil unrest, with potential targeting of foreigners and transport infrastructure.
These travel warnings coincide with heightened anxiety among Australia's Indian and Pakistani diaspora communities, which number approximately 750,000 and 120,440 respectively. The tensions follow airstrikes launched by India on Pakistan in response to a militant attack in Kashmir last month that killed 26 people, and Pakistan's retaliation which includes purportedly downing five Indian Air Force jets according to Pakistan’s defense chief. India claimed the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure, while Pakistan denied involvement in the initial attack.
Reports indicate that at least eight people were killed and 35 injured in the Indian airstrikes, with residents in Srinagar reporting loud explosions. India has initiated
