Security requirements change each day.  The Transport Security Administration (TSA) regularly publishes guidelines for air and international travel.  Specifically, we recommend that you check on the Prohibited items list for hand luggage.  This can be done at www.tsa.gov

While availability of consumer goods has improved dramatically over the past many years in India, the last thing you want is to be jet lagged and have to figure out how to get to the nearest provision store or pharmacy.  So we strongly recommend that you bring the following items with you on your trip to India:

Plug Adapters

Indian electricity is nominally 220-240 volt AC, but fluctuates violently from about 50 volts to electronics-frying 300 volt surges. The high voltages are often spikes rather than sustained, but if equipment is unprotected the damage is done.  Consider taking along a small surge protector if you have a substantial amount of highly sensitive equipment.

Worldwide voltage converters and plug sets are easily and cheaply available for $20 to $30 at electronic stores in the US.  Having one handy for any trip overseas can be very useful.

Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitoes are quite prevalent in India and even one persistent little one can bite you multiple times and ruin a quite night’s sleep.  Please spend some time in a pharmacy to find a good mosquito repellent.  Look for a Deet based product. 

Also, use some scotch tape or masking tape to seal the top of the tube or bottle.  These things have a tendency to leak.  Better still, use a small zip lock bag to store liquids, creams and generally anything else that has a tendency to leak.  

Local mosquito repelling solutions are widely available all over India in the general stores at neighborhood locations.  Some need to be plugged in but given that brownouts are frequent, having a cream or lotion handy can help.

Sunscreen

Sunscreens are now easily available in India at most chemist shops.  But if you have a favorite brand bring it along.

Basic clothing items

Depending on the location and time of the year, climate in India can vary widely.  For example, summers in Delhi can be brutal but very hot days can quickly be followed by rain showers at night that can lead to cooling of temperatures. 

Though most clothing items are available in India, we recommend that you consider bringing the following along with you:

• Cotton Socks:  Comfortable cotton socks can be difficult to find and having a few on hand can be useful.
• A light waterproof jacket:  For most Indian cities, having a light jacket can be useful during sudden rains and layered with a sweater, they can help keep you warm.
• Sturdy sandals:  For the summer months, having a pair of sturdy sandals that you can comfortably wear without socks can be a blessing. 
• Sturdy pair of boots:  The kind you would wear during hiking.  These can be very useful on the messy Indian roads and streets where footwear takes a good beating. 

Flashlight

In India, it is always a good idea to have a small flashlight handy.  There is the constant possibility of brownouts, often you may need to go out on streets that are poorly lit and often in hotels nightlights are not continently located.  Having a flashlight handy can prevent minor accidents from bumping into furniture in an unfamiliar room. 

Take a flashlight that is rechargeable but consider the voltage issue.  Alternately, take a small flashlight that takes AAA batteries since these are easily available in India.

Compass

Directions given by locals in India can often be misleading.  Hardly anyone will admit not knowing where you want to go but will confidently give you a best guess of the approximate direction.  Generally, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers are the best people to ask for directions.  And they are generally very helpful.  But, having a compass handy can at least give you a general direction where you should be heading. 

Trash bags

Medium size trash bags, the type easily available in any supermarket or grocery store in the US can be lifesavers while traveling abroad.  Other than the obvious reason of being able to collect trash for easy disposal, I use them to pack my dirty linen so that my clean clothes don’t get soiled. 

In India, the packaging for food items and the grocery bags you get in stores are not sturdy.  Trash bags can be used to collect your food items including any bottles etc when you go shopping.  That way, when you place them in your car or your handbag or backpack, you have added protection against spills and leakages. 

Zip lock bags

Sturdy zip lock bags that we take don’t give much thought to, can be surprisingly difficult to come by overseas, specially in India.  They are great for the obvious stuff like packing a sandwich and keeping leftovers from a meal.  I have used zip locks all over the world for organizing change, receipts,

Many hospital rooms have a refrigerator and say you don’t feel like eating your meal at dinner time, you can throw some food into a zip lock and that way you have something to eat when the midnight hunger strikes.

Also, these bags are great for placing toiletries for airport security checks.  I always keep a sturdy zip lock to empty my pockets of all the small stuff that we cannot afford to loose at a security check….keys, coins, cell phone, watch, passports, tickets, identification cards etc.  That way, when I get to the other side, I just need to grab one zip lock bag instead of fumbling with several small articles. 

Also, during air travel, due to changes in cabin pressures, liquids tend to leak.  Packing such bottles and tubes in a zip lock is a simple way to prevent this messy problem.

Also, the TSA seems to be moving towards allowing 3oz toiletries bottles in carry on luggage.  To expedite going through security, place a few of these bottles in a zip lock and that way, its easy for the security agent to do a visual check of your toiletry bag.

Of course, if you are traveling for health reasons to India, make very sure what you may or may not carry on board.  Since you may have prescription medicine, please also carry your prescription to prove it just in case you get asked. 

Multi Usage Pocket Knife

This is something that you should not carry in your carry on bags.  But it can easily be one of the most useful and practical tools for a traveler.  A typical Swiss Army Knife (one of the more popular multi purpose tool) has a knife, bottle opener, can opener, scissors, wine opener and other such practical tools.  I appreciate the value each time I need to open a bottle of soda in a hotel room that is not of the twist off type.  Invariably there is never a bottle opener in sight and my Swiss Army Knife comes to my rescue.  I never used to travel without it but these days I make an exception for domestic travel where I have only carry on luggage.  Remember, you will not be allowed to take it in your carry on bags.