The Hindu Business Line : US lifts travel advisory on India

THE US today announced lifting of the nearly two-month-old travel restrictions to India and said its Government employees and their families who were asked to leave the country in the wake of heightened Indo-Pak tensions may return.

"The authorised departure for US Government personnel in non-emergency positions and all family members has been lifted, and those who departed in early June, under the authorised departure may return to India," an official statement issued by the US State Department said on Monday. The latest decision is expected to see the US Embassy and Consulates operate at normal staffing levels in the near future.

However, the statement warns that the risk of renewed increase in tensions cannot be ruled out, but adds that the latest public announcement supersedes the travel warning for India issued on June 26 and was due to expire on November 20 this year.

"The Department notes that the high level of tension between India and Pakistan that existed at the end of May and the beginning of June has further subsided. This condition reflects continuing diplomatic activity and a return to normalcy in most aspects of public and economic life in India," the statement adds.

Nasscom hails move: Mr Kiran Karnik, President, Nasscom, said, ``We are very thrilled with this announcement since the travel advisories were acting as a major deterrent to conduct business in terms of delayed decision-making and restricting customer visits to India. Although the opinion poll conducted by Nasscom to assess the impact of travel advisories on business earlier, revealed that there was only a nominal impact but the reversal of the advisories was critical to ensure future growth. We are very pleased that our efforts of speaking with the embassy and concerned industry associations have yielded positive results. With the announcement by these three major ICT markets, we expect the other countries also to announce a reversal soon.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section
US lifts travel advisory on India

Nordisk suspends Dr Reddy's molecule trials

Bayer's offer for Aventis `delayed'

WorldCom has paid over Rs 300 cr: VSNL

HLL net falls 4 pc in Q2

Stocks take an all-round battering

Maruti rides into black with excise bonanza