Indian travel to the United States has declined for the first time in over 20 years, excluding the pandemic years, with June 2025 witnessing an 8 percent drop in arrivals. According to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office, only 210,000 Indians visited the US in June, compared to 230,000 in the same month last year. Provisional data for July indicates a continued downward trend with a 5.5 percent decline over July 2024.
This marks a significant shift in a long-standing upward trajectory, as every June since 2001 had recorded higher numbers than the previous year. The slowdown is part of a broader global pattern, with international arrivals to the US falling by 6.2 percent in June, 7 percent in May, 8 percent in March, and 1.9 percent in February. Only January and April saw increases of 4.7 percent and 1.3 percent respectively.
India remains the fourth largest source of international visitors to the US. When excluding land-border countries Canada and Mexico, India ranks as the second largest overseas market after the UK, followed by Brazil. These five countries together contributed nearly 60 percent of all international arrivals to the US in June.
Traditionally, Indian travellers to the US include students, business professionals, and those visiting friends and relatives. Leisure travel to America has historically been less popular compared to destinations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The current slowdown is most visible among students, though experts caution that business and family visits may also be affected if visa delays and constraints persist.
Despite the decline, the Indian diaspora in the US remains strong, with over 5 million people, which has typically ensured a steady flow of travel. April 2025 had been a positive month for Indian outbound travel overall, with 2.9 million people flying abroad. The UAE was the top destination, followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore, and the US.
