Rules for overlanding in India

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 24 June 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An International Driving Permit on the 1949 Geneva convention model is what the ministry lists. Check what applies to the licence you hold.

An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.

At the wheel

Insurance — Third-party liability cover is compulsory and no foreign insurance is accepted, so you need a policy written for India. A short-term policy can be taken out on arrival.
Carnet de passages — To import a vehicle temporarily you need the guarantee of an FIA carnet de passages en douane, valid six months and extendable by another six on application to customs. The owner must be present for the formalities and the temporary import is recorded in their passport; a local automobile association can help with the paperwork for vehicles arriving by ship.
LEFT HAND DRIVE sign — India drives on the left and overtakes on the right. A temporarily imported vehicle built for left-hand drive must carry a sign at the rear reading "LEFT HAND DRIVE" in red letters on a white background.
Helmets and belts — Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists in some states, and seatbelts and child seats are compulsory in some regions. Studded tyres are allowed on snow-covered roads.
Alcohol — The limit is 0%. Police rarely use a breathalyser but can order a driver suspected of drinking to pull over, and drink-driving carries fines up to 10,000 rupees and up to six months in detention, rising to two years and 15,000 rupees for repeat offences.
Dangerous roads — Roads are dangerous throughout the country. If you have a driver, ask them explicitly to drive with maximum prudence.
Not at night — Avoid travelling at night by car or bus on extra-urban roads: the accident risk is high, partly because of stray animals and obstacles on the road. For medium and long distances the ministry prefers the train or the plane.
Taxi and hotel scam — On arrival use the prepaid taxi agency, though even travellers with prepaid taxis have been scammed: the driver claims the booked hotel is full or the city unsafe because of riots, then diverts them to fake government information offices that sell expensive alternative trips. Carry a phone with international roaming or a local data SIM and call the hotel yourself to check. Do not accept lifts from strangers and do not hitchhike.

What catches travellers out

Satellite devices are illegal — Bringing in or using satellite phones and satellite or GPS devices without prior Indian authorisation is prohibited and criminally punishable: foreigners who arrived with satellite equipment have been detained and put on trial, and the device is always confiscated. Radio transmitters, telescopes and similar kit also need authorisation. Importing or flying unmanned aircraft — drones, balloons, paragliders, hang-gliders, microlights — is strictly prohibited without prior permission.
Overland entry needs visa — Entering India overland is only allowed with an ordinary visa issued by an Indian diplomatic mission: the eVisa permits entry and re-entry by air only, through a fixed list of airports. Entering without a valid visa is a serious offence carrying two to eight years in prison, and overstaying or failing to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office can mean being held by police, temporarily barred from leaving and blacklisted from returning. All foreign nationals must also complete the online e-Arrival Card, up to 72 hours before arriving, to show at immigration.
E-cigarettes are banned — Advertising, producing, importing, exporting, transporting, selling, distributing and storing e-cigarettes and similar products is prohibited. Even a first offence carries up to a year in detention and a fine of up to about 1,300 euros, so do not bring them at all.
Drugs and alcohol — Drug law is particularly rigid: up to ten years for possessing even modest quantities, with no distinction between soft and hard drugs, only between personal and commercial amounts, and the death penalty is possible for repeat offenders. Alcohol rules change from state to state: it is completely banned in Gujarat, Kerala, Bihar, Nagaland and Manipur, and elsewhere allowed only under conditions or forbidden on "dry days". Avoid cheap alcohol from unauthorised distilleries, which has caused deaths.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 24 June 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for India before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 24 June 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.