A 25-year-old Israeli woman has been allegedly gang raped in a moving car in India's Himachal Pradesh state.

Police said the woman mistook the car for a taxi and boarded it on Sunday morning in the popular town of Manali to go to a neighbouring district.

There were six men in the car and two of them allegedly raped the tourist, police said.

Manali is a popular Himalayan destination among foreigners and domestic tourists.

The woman was trying to reunite with her friends in Keylong when she boarded the car, police said.

Superintendent of Police Padam Chand told the AFP news agency that a search operation had been launched to arrest the accused.

"We are examining CCTV footage and hope to nab the culprits. The Israeli embassy has been informed," Mr Chand said.

Manali is frequented by foreigners due to its picturesque valleys, but the security of women remains a concern.

An American woman was raped in Manali in 2013 by three men when she boarded a truck.

Scrutiny of sexual violence in India has grown since the 2012 gang rape and murder of a student on a Delhi bus.

The 2012 incident led to protests and new anti-rape laws in India. However, brutal sexual attacks against women and children continue to be reported across the country.