India Travel Vaccinations and Health Advice

India’s mosquito advice is easy to underestimate because malaria is not the main issue for every visitor. Higher-risk malaria areas include Assam and Odisha, plus specific districts in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, where antimalarial tablets may be recommended after assessment. Most other parts of India, including Goa and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are classed as low risk, where bite avoidance and fever awareness are usually the focus. Lakshadweep is listed as no malaria risk. Day-biting mosquitoes spread dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Repellent, long sleeves at peak biting times and good accommodation screens are practical prevention. If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, discuss Zika before booking or travelling. Hepatitis A is commonly recommended for previously unvaccinated travellers. Typhoid is also relevant for many visitors, especially longer stays, visits to friends and relatives, and places where food hygiene is harder to judge. Check tetanus is up to date. Hepatitis B may be worth considering for longer stays, new sexual partners, contact sports, medical or dental treatment, or work involving blood exposure. Rabies is present in domestic animals, and bats may carry related viruses. Children, cyclists, runners, rural travellers and anyone staying over a month should discuss pre-travel rabies vaccination. Japanese encephalitis is countrywide, with higher concern around rural areas, rice fields, pigs and the monsoon period, especially in northern regions.