"Civic Sense? RIP??": Top 5 Moments When Indians Embarrassed Themselves Abroad

AS OF 2026, India is the most populous country in the world. With its population crossing 1.4 billion, encountering an Indian in almost any corner of the world has become increasingly likely. However, these encounters are not always met with cheers and applause. With the advent of social media, several videos of Indian tourists abroad have sparked debates about a lack of civic sense and consideration for fellow tourists. 

From dancing Garba to spitting paan in the UK, many of the habits commonly associated with Indians have reportedly created a nuisance abroad. While some netizens defended Indian tourists for dancing their hearts out at a Vietnam airport, calling it an expression of their emotions, others argued that Indian tourists often lack proper travel etiquette. Here are five instances when Indian tourists reignited the debate over why they have a bad reputation abroad. 

Recently, a video of Indian tourists dancing on the train tracks of Vietnam’s famous railway street in Hanoi went viral on social media. Rain Street is widely known for the thrill of trains passing through narrow residential lanes. Tourists sit in cafes or homes alongside the tracks and click photographs of the place.

The video of Indian tourists making a reel to the Indian song Chaiya Chaiya instantly went viral on social media, sparking debate over whether India's reputation is being harmed globally. 

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The video was posted with the text, “Vietnam ke Train Street gaye aur Chaiya Chaiya nahi kiya toh kya Train Street gaye?” (If you went to Vietnam’s Train Street and didn’t do a ‘Chaiya Chaiya’ moment, did you even go?). One user on X asked, “Why can’t we just act normal when we’re abroad? Foreign jaate hi sabka dance kyun bahar aane lagta hai? Why do we feel the need to stand out everywhere across the globe?”

In another video, several Indian tourists arriving at a Vietnam airport went viral on social media. The tourists were seen performing Garba near a VietJet airplane. The video received mixed responses, with some users praising the joyous moment celebrated through dance and music, while others called it “too much.”

One user wrote, “People are happy but need to understand the time and place and respect it as well.” Another X user wrote, “Doing Garba on an active airport tarmac in a foreign country isn’t ‘culture’, it’s weaponised stupidity.” Netizens claimed that such behaviour is one of the reasons why India has a bad reputation in foreign lands. 

In 2025, a video of Indian tourists performing Garba at the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa went viral. The group of tourists were seen wearing yellow T-shirts and dancing to the Gujarati song Chogada from the 2018 film Loveyatri. Users on Instagram criticised the group for behaving indecently in a public space and called their dance “embarrassing.” 

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Earlier this year, a video was shared on Instagram showing tourists chanting slogans such as “Jai Maharashtra” and “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai” loudly. The video was filmed in Paris, where a man was seen standing beside a street performer. After some time, other tourists joined him and chanted the slogans loudly. The video sparked discussions about civic sense and a lack of consideration in public places. 

Videos of a group of Indian tourists received mixed responses after their reel of performing Garba on top of the Great Wall of China went viral on social media. While some criticised them for performing Garba to go viral, others defended the group for enjoying their trip without disturbing others. One user wrote, “China should keep them for entertainment.” Another user remarked, “These people only remember their culture and patriotism once they are on foreign soil.” 

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