Visitors are strongly advised not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (with the exceptions of Ladakh via Manali or air to Leh), all travel in the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan and the Line of Control (excepting Amritsar and Jaisalmer and for those travelling overland to Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing), and all travel to Manipur and Tripura. For further information, visitors should seek official advice.

‘Mystical land of seductive images’

It is India’s vastness that challenges the imagination: the sub-continent, 3200km (2000 miles) from the mountain vastness of the Himalayas in the north to the tropical lushness of Kerala in the south, is home to one sixth of the world’s population, a diverse culture and an intoxicatingly rich history.

The most frequently visited part of India is the Golden Triangle – Delhi and the magnificent monuments of Agra and Jaipur, a legacy of centuries of Muslim rule –but there is much besides. The unfairly maligned great cities of Mumbai and Kolkata (Calcutta) have a bustling, colourful charm, while the holy city of Varanasi or the awe-inspiring temples of Tamil Nadu are worthy objects of pilgrimage. For those who prefer more sybaritic pleasures, the palm-fringed beaches of Goa have a European charm all of their own.

Hinduism is practised by 85 per cent of Indians, the religious rites and red-letter days woven into the fabric of everyday life – ritual washing in the Ganges and the ear-splitting celebrations of the festival of Ganesh – and the inequalities of the caste system are there for all to see.

One of the fascinations of India is the juxtaposition of old and new; centuries of history – from the pre-historic Indus civilisation to the British Raj – rub shoulders with the computer age; and Bangalore's ‘Silicon Valley’ is as much a part of the world's largest democracy as the remotest village is.

Richard Hopton

South Asia.

GMT + 5.5.

3,166,414 sq km (1,222,582 sq miles).

1.1 billion (UN, 2005).

347 per sq km.

New Delhi. Population: 19.8 million (2001).

India shares borders to the northwest with Pakistan, to the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and to the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, to the east the Bay of Bengal and to the south the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast, and the Maldives off the southwest coast. The far northeastern states and territories are all but separated from the rest of India by Bangladesh as it extends northwards from the Bay of Bengal towards Bhutan. The Himalayan mountain range to the north and the Indus River (west) and Ganges River (east) form a physical barrier between India and the rest of Asia. The country can be divided into five regions: Western, Central, Northern (including Kashmir and Rajasthan), Eastern and Southern.

Republic since 1947. Head of State: President APJ Abdul Kalam since 2002. Head of Government: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since 2004. Recent history: In May 2004, Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister after the Congress Party won the General Election. Singh took the position after the President of the party, Sonia Gandhi, widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, declined the post. Singh vowed to tackle poverty and to create economic reforms and better relations with India's neighbours, especially Pakistan. In his first year as Prime Minister, Singh held together a coalition which included communist allies and ministers accused of corruption and oversaw the introduction of nuclear non-proliferation legislation. His promises to raise the poorest citizens out of poverty has yet to be realised. Meanwhile, Indian foreign policy continues to be dominated by relations with Pakistan. The main cause of friction is the status of Kashmir, most of which was awarded to India in 1947. Both sides claim the entire region and both insist their claim is ‘non-negotiable’. Separatist guerrillas, backed by Pakistan, have waged a steady campaign against Indian forces which shows no sign of resolution despite regular initiatives. Given the nuclear capabilities of both countries, and their proven delivery systems, this is now viewed as a major potential flashpoint and is closely watched by the world’s major powers. In the spring of 2002, following a spurt of guerrilla activity in Kashmir and intercommunal violence between Muslims and Hindus in the western Indian state of Gujarat, the two countries came close to war. Only frantic international diplomacy calmed the situation. Historically, the USA and China had backed Pakistan while India had close relations with the Soviet Union. The demise of the Soviet Union has not, however, damaged India excessively: it still enjoys close links with Moscow and is concerned only by the possibility of instability in central Asia spilling southwards. China has long viewed India as a rival, and the main irritant is the presence of the exiled Tibetan opposition leader, the Dalai Lama, in northwest India. Nevertheless, the two Governments have signed a major trade agreement and relations are steadily improving. As for the Americans, India moved quickly to support the Bush administration’s plan for ballistic missile defence in the hope that the remaining sanctions from 1998 will be lifted.
India is a federal republic with certain powers reserved to the 25 states. There are seven Union Territories (Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Chandigarh; Dadra and Nagar Haveli; Delhi; Goa, Daman and Diu; Lakshadweep; and Pondicherry), which are governed from Delhi. Central Government comprises a bicameral Parliament and Cabinet of Ministers. Each of the states also has an elected Assembly. The bicameral National Parliament consists of the lower house, the Lok Sabha, which has 542 members popularly elected for a five-year term and the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, which has 245 members indirectly elected by the State Assemblies to serve six years. The Head of State is the President, while executive power is vested in the Prime Minister who is the head of the Cabinet and is normally the leader of the largest party in the Lok Sabha.

The official language is Hindi which is spoken by about 30 per cent of the population; English is also often used for official or commercial purposes. In addition, 17 regional languages are recognised by the Constitution. These include Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya and Punjabi which are widely used in the north, and Tamil and Telegu, which are common in the south. Other regional languages are Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi. The Muslim population largely speak Urdu.

About 82 per cent Hindu, 11 per cent Muslim with Sikh, Christian, Jain and Buddhist minorities.

Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs used are of the round two- and three-pin type.

The Indian Hindu greeting is to fold the hands and tilt the head forward to namaste. Indian women prefer not to shake hands. All visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. The majority of Indians remove their footwear when entering their houses. Because of strict religious and social customs, visitors must show particular respect when visiting someone’s home. Many Hindus are vegetarian and many, especially women, do not drink alcohol. Sikhs and Parsees do not smoke. Small gifts are acceptable as tokens of gratitude for hospitality. Women are expected to dress modestly. Short skirts and tight or revealing clothing should not be worn, even on beaches. Businesspeople are not expected to dress formally except for meetings and social functions. English-speaking guides are available at fixed charges at all important tourist centres. Guides speaking French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian or Spanish are available in some cities. Consult the nearest Incredible India office. Unapproved guides are not permitted to enter protected monuments. Tourists are advised to ask for guides with certificates from the Ministry of Tourism or Incredible India (see Top Things To Do). Photography: Formalities mainly concern protected monuments and the wildlife sanctuaries. Special permission of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, is necessary for the use of tripod and artificial light to photograph monuments. Photography at many places is allowed on payment of a prescribed fee, which varies. Contact the nearest Government of India Tourist Office.