New Delhi: For the first time since 2001, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic years, the number of Indian visitors to the United States has declined. According to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), around 2.1 lakh Indians travelled to the US in June 2025, marking an 8% drop compared to 2.3 lakh in the same month last year. Provisional data for July 2025 also indicates a 5.5% decline compared to July 2024, suggesting that the downward trend is continuing.

The slowdown is part of a broader global trend, with overall international arrivals to the US falling 6.2% in June, 7% in May, 8% in March, and 1.9% in February 2025. Only January and April showed slight increases of 4.7% and 1.3%, respectively.

India remains the fourth largest source of international visitors to the US. Excluding neighboring Canada and Mexico, India is the second largest overseas market after the UK, followed by Brazil in fifth place. Collectively, these five countries contributed nearly 60% of all international arrivals to the US in June.

Traditionally, Indian travellers include students, business professionals, and individuals visiting friends and relatives. Leisure travel from India to the US has always lagged behind popular destinations like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The current slowdown is particularly visible among students, although experts caution that business and family visits could also be affected if visa delays and constraints persist.

Despite the decline, the strong Indian diaspora in the US, exceeding 50 lakh people, has generally ensured a steady flow of travel. Notably, April 2025 had been a positive month for Indian travellers overall, with 29 lakh people flying abroad. The UAE remained the top destination, followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore, and the US.