Travel safety comparison · Asia
India vs Sri Lanka: safety comparison
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India vs Sri Lanka: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Sri Lanka sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than India (38 against 47), but the gap is small enough that the practical difference comes down to category-by-category detail rather than the headline. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Sri Lanka scores 2/5 against India's 4/5. Women's-safety rating differs: India is Exercise Significant Caution and Sri Lanka is Generally Safe.
| 🇮🇳India | 🇱🇰Sri Lanka | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 47 / 100 | 38 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #115 | #97 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Significant Caution | Generally Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | INR | LKR |
India vs Sri Lanka: common questions
Is India or Sri Lanka safer to visit?
Sri Lanka has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 38/100 vs 47/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is India or Sri Lanka safer for solo female travellers?
India is rated Exercise Significant Caution for women's safety; Sri Lanka is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about India and Sri Lanka?
India: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Sri Lanka: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).