India travel vaccines: What you really need before your trip

When planning a trip to India, India travel vaccines, vaccinations recommended or required to protect travelers from diseases common in India. Also known as travel immunizations, these aren’t just paperwork—they’re your first line of defense against illness on the road. Many people assume they need every shot under the sun, but that’s not true. The real question isn’t ‘What vaccines exist?’ It’s ‘Which ones actually matter for YOU?’

You don’t need every vaccine on the CDC list. What you need is the ones that match your trip. If you’re staying in luxury hotels in Delhi and eating at tourist spots, your risk is low. But if you’re backpacking through rural Uttar Pradesh, eating street food, or visiting small villages, your risk goes up fast. That’s where typhoid vaccine, a shot that protects against a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water, common in areas with poor sanitation becomes critical. Same with hepatitis A, a liver infection caught from dirty food or water, and one of the most common illnesses travelers bring home from India. These aren’t optional if you’re eating local. They’re basic.

Then there’s the routine stuff you probably already had: measles, polio, tetanus. Make sure those are up to date. If you’re traveling with kids or older family members, that’s even more important. For longer trips or if you’ll be around animals, rabies vaccine, a series of shots given before exposure to prevent death from animal bites, especially in areas with stray dogs might be worth considering. And if you’re going to the Northeast or spending time in forests or rivers, Japanese encephalitis, a rare but serious virus spread by mosquitoes in rural areas during monsoon season could be relevant—but only if you’re staying months or camping in high-risk zones.

Here’s the truth: most travelers skip the shots, get sick, and blame India. But it’s not the country—it’s the choices. You can eat street food safely if you know what to avoid. You can drink water without getting sick if you’re prepared. Vaccines aren’t about fear. They’re about control. They give you freedom to explore without worrying about getting sidelined by something preventable.

Don’t wait until the day before your flight. Some vaccines need weeks to work. Typhoid and hepatitis A can be given together in one visit. Rabies requires three shots over a month. Plan ahead. Talk to a travel clinic, not just your regular doctor—they know what’s actually needed for India, not just what’s on a generic list.

Below, you’ll find real advice from travelers who’ve been there—what they got, what they skipped, what worked, and what didn’t. No marketing. No fluff. Just what you need to stay healthy and keep exploring.