In a letter to India's External Affairs minister S M Krishna, the outfit said that despite an end to mandatory HIV testing for foreigners in 2002, Indian consulates around the world and government websites continue to demand that foreigners submit proof of their HIV status.
"It should not take a decade for the Indian government to eliminate unnecessary and discriminatory restrictions targeting people living with HIV from entering India," said Joe Amon, Director of the Health and Human Rights division at Human Rights Watch.
"To end the AIDS epidemic, we must eradicate the pervasive stigma and discrimination which exists against people living with, or at risk of, HIV infection, and respect human rights," he said.
The independent organisation dedicated to defending and protecting human rights has pointed out that India announced the end of mandatory HIV testing for foreigners in 2002 and the Ministry of External Affairs sent notice to all Indian diplomatic missions clarifying that there are no travel or residency restrictions for people living with HIV in 2010.
However, despite this change and a subsequent email sent by the Ministry of External Affairs on September 17, 2010 to all Indian missions clarifying that there are no travel or residency restrictions for people living with HIV, many official Indian government websites maintain that an HIV- negative status is required for travel into India.
"This confusion has also led at least one other nation's website (the US State Department) to advise their citizens that infection with HIV is grounds for deportation from India," the letter to Krishna pointed out.
In view of this, the HR Watch has urged India to ensure that all consular documents reflect and emphasise the removal of HIV-related restrictions to foreign-born visitors and residents, in order that all visitors enjoy India without fear of disclosing their HIV-positive status and to confirm that the practice in local consulates and embassies adheres to the new inclusive travel policies.