• Avoid travel to the U.S. Consulate General Kolkata.
• Seek secure shelter and stay indoors until roads are cleared.
• Monitor the local news for updates.
• Be aware of your surroundings.

• Telephone for emergencies – (033)-6827-2400
• See the State Department’s India Travel Advisory | Travel.State.gov
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• U.S. State Department – Consular Affairs; telephone: 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

CDA Andrews remarks as delivered

July 3, New Delhi: Good evening and thank you all for coming out to celebrate the United States of America’s Independence Day! I’m so honored to celebrate our nation’s birthday with you tonight. I would like to offer special thanks to key guests who are with us tonight. Honorable Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, thank you for joining us and representing the strength of the U.S.-India relationship. Thank you to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bethany Morrison for coming all the way from Washington and supporting the work of our embassy and the bilateral relationship. Accompanying her are Riley Barnes, Special Advisor to the State Department’s Under Secretary for Political Affairs, and Shireen Singh, India Desk Officer.  Thank you for joining us.

To our sponsors: Thank you! This event wouldn’t be possible without your generous support.  I’d like to direct everyone’s attention to the screens with the names/logos of our sponsors.  I also invite each of you to visit the sponsor booths to experience firsthand tasty American foods and other products from our sponsors. And, of course, a huge thank you to our great embassy team that put this event together. Alex White and Mike Cramer, thank you for organizing and guiding the team that made everything possible tonight.  Well done.  And a special thank you to all the volunteers working tonight’s event!

On a personal note, I want to acknowledge two very important guests who are here with me today. My wife, Sara Craig, and our daughter, Dagny, who are visiting me over the summer from our home in Virginia. During his campaign for president back in 2000, George W. Bush used to say that “Behind every successful man stands a very surprised woman.”  To the extent that I have been successful, no one in this room is more surprised than Sara, and I owe any success to her. My friends, tomorrow we mark 249 years since our nation’s founders signed the Declaration of Independence, and we’re gearing up for an even bigger celebration of our 250^th birthday next year. For Americans, however, Independence Day is not only a cause for celebration, but also for introspection.

On July 4, 1776, our founders set our nation on a path of freedom and toward a new system of governance, one where, as they wrote, government leaders “deriv[e] their just powers from the consent of the governed.” In other words, the government works for the people, not the other way around. As we Americans all learned in elementary school, Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of that revolutionary document, the Declaration of Independence. He and the other authors of the Constitution applied the ideas and principles of the Enlightenment to create a novel system of democratic governance that balances power among three coequal branches.

I have long felt a personal connection to Thomas Jefferson. Many years ago, I had the privilege to study law at his “academical village,” as he called it – the University of Virginia.  In that institution that Jefferson designed, built, and founded, the enlightenment lives on, reflecting the energy and creativity of our nation’s birth.  My personal commitment to diplomacy and the rule of law was forged in Mr. Jefferson’s University.  (Shout out to VN Dalmia and UVA Alumni Club.) As that original American idea of democratic governance has gradually spread throughout the world, there is no greater place to celebrate the birth of the world’s oldest democracy than right here in the world’s largest democracy.

As President Trump and Prime Minister Modi said during the Prime Minister’s visit to the White House earlier this year, they are both “leaders of sovereign and vibrant democracies that value freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and pluralism.” The bonds between our nations are built upon the deep connections between our peoples, yet they extend all the way up to our nations’ leaders. And it has been a busy year for high level bilateral meetings among our nations’ leaders. You will recall Foreign Minister Jaishankar attended President Trump’s inauguration and met with Secretary Rubio on his first day in office. On that same day, Secretary Rubio hosted his first diplomatic meeting with the Quad Foreign Ministers and then hosted them again earlier this year. In between those meetings, our Director of National Intelligence visited India, and we have welcomed Commerce Minister Goyal and other Indian officials to the United States several times. And, of course, we were delighted to host Vice President Vance and his family this April further testament to the strength of our ties. Clearly, India is a top priority for the Trump Administration, and I anticipate even more high-level engagement in the months to come.

You can also see how this administration prioritizes India by the number of initiatives we’ve launched this year alone – including the COMPACT to elevate our partnership and the TRUST initiative to deepen our collaboration on strategic technology, among many others. Just a few days ago, we saw U.S. company Axiom Space take U.S., Indian, and other astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station.  In the coming weeks, we will be excited to celebrate the launch of the NISAR satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to send a cutting-edge satellite into space to map the surface of our planet. But our two great countries also have a robust economic relationship. In February, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced a bold new goal called “Mission 500,” to more than double our current annual bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

As you know, we are deep in ambitious talks to unlock new trade opportunities for both sides and eventually conclude a historic Bilateral Trade Agreement. America and India have never been closer. Our people-to-people ties grow by the day, fueled in large part by an Indian diaspora in America that is now estimated to be more than 4 million people. So tonight, I invite you all to celebrate the friendship and deep partnership between our nations. Please enjoy the American cuisine and beverages we’re featuring and explore ways our two great countries can become even closer partners.  Thank you very much for joining us tonight.  Happy Independence Day! And now it is my distinct honor and privilege to introduce our distinguished guest of honor, Minister Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Senior Defense Spokesman Col. Chris Devine provided the following readout:

On July 1, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to discuss the Major Defense Partnership between the United States and India, and the close cooperation between the two countries embodied in the February 2025 Joint Statement by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. Noting mutual concern about the danger of aggression in the Asia-Pacific region, the two reviewed pending major defense sales, the forthcoming signing of the next 10 Year Defense Framework, and progress on advanced technology policy reviews. Secretary Hegseth and Minister Jaishankar welcomed the next INDUS-X Summit, a bilateral defense tech forum, and the accompanying launch of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA).

Secretary Hegseth looks forward to future high-level bilateral meetings with India later this year in order to continue building the dynamic U.S.-India defense relationship.

Reissued after periodic review with updates to entry/exit requirements.

Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk.

Country Summary: Violent crime and terrorism occur in India.

• Rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India.
• Violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations.
• Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target:
  • tourist locations
  • transportation hubs
  • markets/shopping malls
  • government facilities

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in rural areas.

• These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal.
• Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in India must obtain special authorization to travel to these areas.

If you decide to travel to India:

• Do not bring a satellite phone or GPS device. Possessing a satellite phone or GPS device is illegal in India and may result in a penalty of $200,000 or jail time of up to three years.
• Do not travel alone, especially if you are a woman. Read travel tips at Women Travelers.
• Review your personal security plans and stay alert to your surroundings.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get alerts and make it easier for us to find you in an emergency.
• Review the India Country Security Report from the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States.
• We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.

Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir:
Do not travel to this area (except for visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest.

• Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible. Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan.
• Violence also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam.
• The Indian government does not allow foreign tourists to visit certain areas along the LOC.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

India-Pakistan Border
Do not travel to this area due to potential for armed conflict.

• India and Pakistan have a strong military presence on their respective sides of the border.
• The only official border crossing for non-citizens of India or Pakistan is in Punjab. It is between Attari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan.
• The border crossing is usually open. Check the status before you travel.
• To enter Pakistan, you need a Pakistani visa.
• Only U.S. citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise, apply for a Pakistani visa in your home country before traveling to India.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Parts of Central and East India:
Do not travel to this area due to terrorism.

• Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal.
• Attacks against officers of the Indian government continue to occur sporadically in the rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand that border with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Southwest areas of Odisha are also affected.
• The Naxalites have carried out many terrorist attacks, targeting local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Due to the changing nature of the threat, U.S. government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to traveling to most areas in the states of:

• Bihar
• Jharkhand
• Chhattisgarh
• West Bengal
• Meghalaya
• Odisha

Permission is not required if employees are traveling only to the capital cities of these states.

U.S. government employees working in India also need approval to travel to the eastern region of Maharashtra and the eastern region of Madhya Pradesh.

U.S. citizens are advised not to cross the India-Nepal border by land due to the risk for immigration related detention and fines.

• Violations of Indian immigration laws are taken very seriously. India may imprison, fine, or deny entry to travelers without valid documents or the correct type of visa.
• Electronic visas are not accepted for land border crossings into India. Even those with physical visas have faced issues, including detention and hefty court expenses, due to misunderstandings over permitted travel and durations of stay.
• If you choose to cross the India-Nepal land border, be advised to use caution and obey all immigration requirements.

Manipur
Do not travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime.

• Ongoing ethnic-based conflict has resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement.
• Attacks against Indian government targets occur on a regular basis.
• U.S. government employees working in India require prior approval before visiting Manipur.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Northeastern states
Reconsider travel to this area due to terrorism and violence.

• Ethnic insurgent groups occasionally commit acts of violence in parts of the northeast.
• These incidents include bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets.
• There have been no recent reports of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, or Tripura.
• U.S. government employees working in India require prior approval before visiting the states of Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as when visiting any areas outside of the capital cities of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.