Sudan on an Indian Licence — IDP, the Side Switch & Zero Alcohol

For an Indian traveller, the question of driving in Sudan splits cleanly into paperwork, which is manageable, and adjustment behind the wheel, which is where the real attention goes.

Can you drive on an Indian licence?

Yes. You can drive in Sudan on your Indian licence, with an International Driving Permit recommended — it is the translation rental firms and police prefer to see, and it should be sorted in India before departure, as you cannot obtain one locally. Keep the IDP, your Indian licence and your passport together.

The side switch is the first thing to get right

India drives on the left; Sudan drives on the right. That makes the first day the riskiest — pulling out of a forecourt, taking a roundabout that now flows the other way, or a reflex glance in the wrong direction. Start somewhere quiet rather than central Khartoum, and stay deliberate at every turn until the new side stops feeling backwards.

A flat-zero alcohol limit

Sudan’s drink-drive limit is 0.0, with no tolerance at all and well below India’s 0.03. The country is largely dry in practice, so the simplest and safest approach is no alcohol before you drive — full stop.

Roads, speeds and the essentials

Posted limits run to roughly 50 km/h in towns and 80–100 km/h beyond, but outside the main corridors the surface and signage are unreliable, so treat those numbers as a ceiling rather than a target. The emergency number is 112. Read the fuller picture on the Sudan driving guide, check your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and look over who pays driving fines abroad before you go.