New Delhi: Some restaurants in Vietnam are reportedly denying entry to Indian customers. A viral video claiming that Indians were turned away from restaurants in the Southeast Asian country has sparked a heated debate about racism faced by Indians abroad.
The video, posted on Instagram by a travel vlogger with the username ‘@viadaksh’, shows two men claiming that they were denied entry to restaurants in Vietnam due to their nationality. They allege encountering signs stating, “Indians not allowed.”
Posted three days ago, the clip has gone viral, garnering more than 2.2 lakh views and over 3k comments.
In the video, one of the men says, “The restaurant even refused entry to the women because we are Indian.” The other man adds, “We have not done anything that would tarnish our country’s name, yet they still hate us. Outside the restaurants, it is written, ‘Indians are not allowed.’”
The video also shows a signboard that reads, “No smoking, No Indian.”
In the caption, the user mentioned that he met the Indian family and, after speaking with them, learned how they were denied entry to several restaurants.
“Imagine being on vacation with your family and being denied entry into a restaurant simply because of your nationality,” reads the caption.
As the clip did rounds on the internet, it raised concerns about the treatment of Indians abroad. But the incident also left the users divided. While many condemned the incident as racism, others blamed tourist behaviour for it.
“Visiting Vietnam, I saw the behavior of Indians there. No wonder this restriction,” read a comment on Instagram.
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Lack of civic sense?
As per the video, the incident occurred in Hoi An, an ancient town in Vietnam that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The discussion has triggered a broader conversation about discrimination and responsible travel abroad.
“An Indian tourist was denied entry into multiple restaurants in Vietnam. It’s time to look at the reasons instead of getting defensive. Why does this happen only with Indians? Why not with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or any other country?” one user wrote on X.
“It’s not because of looks—let’s face reality. We Indians are among the most uncivilised when it comes to civic sense, and that’s the reason. Face it,” another user said on Instagram.
In the viral video, however, the man argues that Indian tourists have contributed to Vietnam’s economy, and despite that they are facing such discrimination and insult.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)