Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) refreshed its Smartraveller advisory for India on 9 October, retaining the overall ‘Exercise a High Degree of Caution’ level but adding new operational details that global mobility managers must note. First, DFAT stresses that all foreign nationals—Australians included—must complete India’s e-Arrival Card online within 72 hours before departure. Failure to do so “will likely result in lengthy secondary screening on arrival”, a point borne out by reports of two-hour queues at Delhi Airport last week. Second, the advisory draws attention to curfews, internet shutdowns and sporadic violence in Manipur, warning that travel permits are being denied with little notice. Employers running mining and renewable-energy projects in the Northeast are advised to rotate staff via Guwahati with armed escorts and maintain satellite-phone backups. While the wording on Jammu & Kashmir and the India–Pakistan border remains unchanged, the notice reiterates that Australian citizens of Indian origin must carry both passports if travelling on Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status—a requirement that airlines have recently begun enforcing at check-in. Companies relocating staff under the Australia–India Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MATES) are urged to factor the advisory into duty-of-care policies and ensure that travel-risk insurance is valid for the newly listed hotspots.
