Israel issues warning against travel to India amid fears of 'imminent and severe' terror attack

Israel has issued severe travel warnings for Western holidaymakers in India amid fears of an "imminent" New Year's Eve terror attack.

Israel's anti-terrorism directorate cited an 'immediate and severe' risk to Western tourists intending to travel to popular tourist sites such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Red Fort in Delhi and holiday hot-spot Goa.

"We are warning Israeli tourists in India of the possibility of imminent terrorist attacks against western targets and tourists, particularly in the southwest of that country," the alert stated.

"A particular emphasis should be put on events in the coming days in connection with beach and club parties celebrating the New Year where a concentration of tourists will be high."

Travelers were warned to avoid markets, festivals and crowded shopping areas. The south of the country, which has in recent years become a popular holiday destination among westerners, has also been deemed particularly vulnerable to attack.

Israel added it was raising the alert level in response to a 'concrete basic threat' but did not say what prompted the warning which was published on Friday evening, after government offices had closed Mail Online reports.

The UK government has also warned tourists to be aware of the possibility of a terror attack in India. The Foreign Office said: "There is a high threat from terrorism. Terrorist attacks are carried out by a number of terrorist and insurgent groups including Lashkar-e Tayyiba, Jaish-e Mohammed and the Indian Mujahideen.

"There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

"While the main focus of attacks are against Indian interests, terrorists have previously targeted places visited by westerners including public places like restaurants, hotels, railway stations, markets, places of worship, festivals and sporting venues."

India is a popular destination for young Israelis, with the two nations sharing close ties. The country has suffered a spate of deadly terror attacks in recent years. In 2012, the wife of an Israeli diplomat stationed in India, her driver and two others were wounded in a bomb attack on her car.

In 2008, 164 people were killed and 308 injured in the Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic militant organisation based in Pakistan, carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city, in a four day siege.

Jihadist terrorists have been known to target nightclubs, bars and cafes places where Western tourists are known to socialise. In 2002 , 202 people, including 88 Australians and 27 Britons, were killed in a bombing at Paddy's Pub in Bali, carried out by a local Indonesian group.

Travellers have been warned to remain alert in the lead-up to India's Republic Day, which falls on January 26, 2017.