Russian influencer travelling in India rates Delhi -1/10 on safety: ‘Never felt relaxed here’

In an overall verdict, the Instagram user with more than 11,000 followers said she found India to be 'intense, beautiful, exhausting, and heart-warming — sometimes all in the same hour'. (Image credit: @nithiandkate/Instagram)

A Russian influencer has triggered a heated debate on social media after sharing her candid safety ratings for Indian cities during a trip with her Indian boyfriend in which she gave the national capital -1 out of 10. Moreover, the woman, identified only by her first name Kate, said she felt safest in southern India and rated Kerala the highest — 9/10.

In a detailed Instagram post titled “This is my personal experience as a Russian girlfriend travelling in India, Kate described her experience in Delhi as overwhelming from the start.

“Too chaotic, too crowded, and constant staring everywhere I went. Multiple people warned me not to leave the hotel alone — and honestly, I listened. I never felt relaxed here, not even for a second,” she wrote.

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A post shared by Nithi 🇮🇳 Kate 🇷🇺 | International Couple | Indian Russian Stories (@nithiandkate)

Her ratings for other cities varied sharply.

She had a "very uncomfortable experience" in Agra with "people constantly trying to sell you something, scam you, or take photos with me without asking". She rated the city 3/10 but added that the "Taj Mahal is incredible".

Kate found Mumbai to be "much cleaner and more functional" than Delhi. "I felt safer here compared to the north, and people mostly minded their business. That said — the crowds and traffic are on another level. Not unsafe, but definitely overwhelming," she wrote and gave the city 5/10.

Southern cities top safety list

Topping Kate's safety list were Kerala, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

She gave Hyderabad a 6 out of 10. “Modern and busy, but not very walkable. I once got stuck in the middle of a road crossing — and a policewoman stepped in to help me. That moment actually made me feel more reassured," she said, and added that despite the weather and chaos in Chennai, she felt more comfortable in the city. "Less staring, calmer energy, and more respect for personal space. Not perfect, but manageable," Kate said and rated the city 7/10.

She found Bengaluru to be “green, relaxed, and breathable" and one of the first places that she could enjoy being outdoors.  "Good vibes, good weather, and one of the first cities where I didn’t feel constantly watched," she said and rated the city 8/10. But Kate said she felt safest in Kerala. "Calm streets, respectful people, and a completely different pace of life. I walked around alone in the evening and didn’t feel scared at all.”

In an overall verdict, the Instagram user with more than 11,000 followers said she found India to be "intense, beautiful, exhausting, and heart-warming — sometimes all in the same hour". She added that safety felt very different depending on where she was and that she only wrote about her experience, "not a universal truth.”

Post sparks north vs south debate

As Kate's post went viral, it triggered a north vs south debate. One user commented: “Your husband (boyfriend) is from Kerala. So the answer is most expected.” Another wrote: “Mumbai 5 really...looks like agenda of north vs south again.”

Others defended her opinion: “Why do some North Indians fuss so much? It's just an opinion. Also, it's just a fact that for most people the best states are Kerala and the North East states. They are the safest places in India according to them. This isn't to say they are perfect or have no issues but compared to most of the other states (not all) they are a heaven.”

Another international traveller rated Delhi -1/10 on safety

This, however, is not the only instance of a foreign woman traveller rated Delhi the lowest and Kerala the highest in terms of how safe they felt.

Emma, an international backpacker, who has no connections with Kerala, went viral in October after she shared her safety ratings for eight Indian cities. Delhi was rated-1/10. Emma described Delhi as “overwhelming,” citing the constant stares, noise, and crowding as major discomforts. She said she felt unsafe travelling alone at night and added, “I would not travel here alone at night.”

On the other hand, Kerala emerged as her top-rated destination — calm, clean, and culturally rich. “Locals are polite and transport feels safe,” Emma said. She found Kerala’s slow pace and hospitality refreshing, calling it the safest state for solo women travellers in India.