Vaccinations for India: what Australians need before they go

Travel health ·Published 26 October 2026 ·Reviewed 26 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist, Ahpra registration PHA0001976405.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor. How we write and check our articles.

You don’t need any vaccines to enter India from Australia, but several are recommended. Make sure you’re up to date with measles (MMR) and tetanus, and most travellers should have the hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines, as both diseases spread through food and water. Rabies, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and hepatitis B vaccines depend on how long you’re going and what you’ll be doing. Visiting family? Your risks are often higher. Try to start 6 to 8 weeks before you fly.

Our pharmacist immunisers at Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair give most of these vaccines, for anyone aged 5 and over. Walk in or book a time, and see our travel health page for how it works.

Which vaccines do I need for India?

Treat this as a starting point for a chat with a pharmacist or doctor.

Most travel vaccines aren’t free, so a private fee usually applies. You’ll see current prices when you book online.

Visiting family in India? Your risk can be higher

The Australian Immunisation Handbook says people visiting friends and relatives are more likely to have close contact with locals, stay in rural areas and have higher-risk food and drinks, and less likely to get travel health advice or vaccines before they go.

• Meals with your hosts. The Handbook says this group appears to be at considerably greater risk of typhoid. If saying no to food or drink feels rude, UK travel health advice suggests explaining that you’re following your doctor’s advice.
• Longer stays in homes. Trips to see family are often longer, and staying in homes can mean more contact with animals and a greater risk of rabies.
• Malaria immunity. Any immunity from growing up with malaria fades once you live somewhere without it, and children raised in Australia have none.
• Medical care. Smartraveller says facilities in rural areas can be very limited, so get travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
• Medicines for relatives. It’s illegal to take Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines overseas for anyone other than yourself or someone you’re travelling with.

So even if you grew up in India or go back every year, check your vaccines before each trip. If you spent your early childhood in India, you may already be immune to hepatitis A, and the Handbook says a blood test can help you avoid a dose you don’t need.

Measles: check you’re protected

NSW Health lists India among the countries where measles is common. Two doses of MMR vaccine give lifelong protection against measles to 99 in 100 people. If you were born in or after 1966 and don’t have records of 2 doses, you can have it free in Queensland. NSW Health advises having the final dose at least 2 weeks before you leave.

For 3 weeks after you get home, watch for fever, cough, runny nose, sore red eyes and a spotty rash that starts on the head and neck. If they appear, call your GP or the emergency department before you go in, and mention your trip.

Hepatitis A and typhoid

Both spread through contaminated food and water.

• Hepatitis A. One dose gives protection. A second dose 6 to 12 months later gives longer-lasting protection, which is handy if you visit India often.
• Typhoid. The Handbook says the risk is considerably greater in the Indian subcontinent than in other regions, and strains resistant to many antibiotics are being found more often, particularly there. The vaccine is a single injection, or capsules taken over several days (from age 6). The injection is estimated to be about 65% effective over 3 years, so you still need to be careful with food and water.

Is the rabies vaccine worth it for India?

India has the highest burden of rabies in the world, and rabid dogs are common. According to healthdirect, rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.

The Handbook recommends a risk assessment before you travel, based on how likely you are to be around animals and how easily you could reach emergency care, and suggests parents consider the vaccine for younger children.

The vaccine doesn’t replace treatment after a bite, but it makes treatment simpler and usually avoids the need for an antibody injection, which can be hard to find in India, especially outside major hospitals. The course is 2 visits a week apart, or 3 doses over 3 to 4 weeks. We don’t give it at Pacific Fair, so see a GP or travel clinic early to leave time to finish the course.

What to do if an animal bites or scratches you

1. Wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes straight away.
2. Apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine, and don’t cover the wound.
3. Get medical help straight away, even if you’ve had the rabies vaccine.
4. Keep a record of each dose you’re given, including the date, product name and batch number, and see your GP when you get home.

Fake rabies vaccine in India

In December 2025, Australian health authorities warned that a counterfeit rabies vaccine had been given in India from 1 November 2023, and in January 2026 they linked it to a single batch of one brand. If you’ve had a rabies vaccine in India since November 2023, see your GP and take any records showing the brand and batch number, so they can check whether any doses need to be replaced.

Japanese encephalitis

JE is a virus spread by mosquitoes, mainly in rural and farming areas such as rice fields and pig farms. UK travel health advice says it occurs across India, with risk all year that peaks during and just after the monsoon, especially in the north.

The Handbook recommends the vaccine for stays of a month or more in areas with JE during its transmission season, and suggests considering it for shorter trips in the wet season or with lots of time outdoors. The risk is probably negligible on short city trips. Depending on the type, it’s a single dose or a 2-dose course, and we can give it at Pacific Fair.

Do I need malaria tablets for India?

Malaria is found in most of India, including major cities, but the risk varies a lot between states, and advice on tablets differs between countries. US advice recommends malaria tablets for most of India. UK advice recommends them for Mizoram, Odisha and Tripura, rates the risk as low elsewhere, including Goa, and suggests tablets there only in exceptional cases, such as long stays visiting family. Either way, avoid mosquito bites, especially from dusk to dawn. See a GP or travel doctor about whether you need malaria tablets for your itinerary, as they need a prescription. Help Medical, an independent general practice located inside our store, can help.

Dengue and mosquito bites

Smartraveller says dengue is widespread in India after the monsoon, which runs from about June to October, and that Zika outbreaks can occur. UK and US advice add that chikungunya is also a risk. There’s no vaccine for Zika, so if you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, see your GP before you go.

A dengue vaccine is registered in Australia for people aged 4 and over, given as 2 doses 3 months apart. It’s mainly recommended for people who’ve had dengue before, or who’ll spend long or repeated periods where dengue is common. It isn’t suitable for everyone, including people with a weakened immune system, and it isn’t recommended during pregnancy. We don’t give it, so ask a GP or travel doctor whether it suits you.

Dengue mosquitoes bite throughout the day and malaria mosquitoes mostly bite between dusk and dawn, so protect yourself around the clock:

• Use an insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, and reapply it as directed.
• Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Sleep in a screened or air-conditioned room, or under a bed net.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Air pollution and heat

Smartraveller warns that air pollution in parts of India can spike to hazardous levels from October to February. Check the local air quality each day and avoid outdoor activity when it’s poor, especially with children or older relatives, or if you have asthma or a heart or lung condition. Heat-related illness is also a risk, especially in summer, so eat and drink regularly, wear loose, lightweight clothing and take it easy when it’s hottest.

How to avoid Delhi belly

US travel health advice says travellers have a more than 6 in 10 chance of getting diarrhoea during a 2-week trip to India, and Smartraveller says tap water isn’t safe to drink.

• Drink sealed bottled water, and use it to brush your teeth.
• Skip ice, as it may be made from tap water.
• Avoid salads, raw or undercooked food, and food that’s been sitting out.
• Peel fruit yourself, and wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before you eat.

If you get diarrhoea, drink plenty of fluids. Oral rehydration solution is better than plain water for children and older adults. Get medical help for a fever, blood in your poo, signs of dehydration or diarrhoea that won’t settle.

Pack a small travel health kit with oral rehydration solution, pain relief, antiseptic and insect repellent. See our travel health checklist for a full countdown to your trip.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

Talk to your pharmacist about which vaccines suit your trip, what to pack, and how to take your regular medicines with you.

See a GP or travel doctor before you go if you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, or have a weakened immune system or a long-term health condition.

After you get home, see a doctor if you have a fever, a rash, diarrhoea that doesn’t settle, or any animal bite or scratch, and tell them you’ve been to India. Malaria symptoms can appear up to a year after you return. In an emergency, call 000.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need vaccinations to travel to India?

None are required to enter India from Australia, but most travellers should have hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines and be up to date with measles and tetanus.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate for India?

Not if you’re flying from Australia, even via Asia or the Middle East. India asks for one from travellers aged 9 months and over who arrive within 6 days of being in a country with yellow fever risk, such as some in Africa and South America, including a stopover there if you left the airport. Without one, you can be quarantined for up to 6 days.

Can I get India travel vaccines at a pharmacy on the Gold Coast?

Yes. At Pacific Fair we give hepatitis A and B, typhoid, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, measles, tetanus and whooping cough, flu and COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 5 and over. For rabies and dengue vaccines, see a GP or travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccine is only given at approved yellow fever vaccination centres.

Do children need vaccines for India?

Usually the same as adults, plus a few extra checks. Babies aged 6 to 11 months can have an early, Queensland-funded dose of MMR. Children under 5 may need a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, as India has more TB cases than any other country, and in Queensland it’s usually given free by TB services, at least 3 months before you travel. We vaccinate from age 5, so see a GP for younger children.

Planning a trip to India? Walk in to Pacific Fair, or book a travel vaccination 6 to 8 weeks before you fly.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.