Alarmed by war clouds on Indo-Pak region, the US, Britain, Germany, Australia, Denmark and New Zealand on Friday decided to reduce the levels of non-essential diplomatic staff and their families in India and advised their nationals against travelling to the region Terming the tensions as having reached Serious levels, a state department spokesman in Washington appealed to about 60,000 Americans to leave the country because of the rising danger of an Indo-Pak conflict. The warning referred to artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani troops along the border and also the possibility of terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda network against Americans, the advisory, which was also issued by its embassy in New Delhi, said.
The move also comes amidst reports that Pakistan has moved its troops from its western border to the eastern frontiers signalling further escalation of tension.
Dependents of non-essential US personnel in the embassy in New Delhi and US consulates in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai were also encouraged to depart at government expense, it said.
A statement issued by the British High Commission said that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has advised British nationals for the time being against travel to India. British nationals there should consider leaving, it said.
Germany asked its nationals living in India to leave the country due to Indo-Pak tensions but said that the warning did not apply to diplomatic staff of its embassy in New Delhi, a foreign ministry statement said in Berlin adding that the advisory covered family members of German diplomats in India.

Bureau Report