The world's most powerful passports in 2024: Here is where India stands

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The Henley Passport Index for 2024 has been released, with France taking the top spot, while India's passport ranking has dropped one notch from last year, falling from 84th to 85th.

This drop in India's position may surprise some, given that Indian passport holders could travel visa-free to 60 countries last year, but that number has risen to 62 this year.

The Henley Passport Index assesses nations according to the strength of their passports. France leads the list in 2024, with its passport allowing visa-free travel to 194 countries. Along with France, the top-ranked countries are Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is at 106th place, unchanged from last year, while Bangladesh has dropped from 101st to 102nd place.

India's neighbour, Maldives, continues to have a strong passport, ranking 58th, with Maldivian passport holders being able to travel to 96 countries without a visa.

India's dip in the rankings comes despite recent announcements from Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand to grant visa-free entrance to Indian tourists.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that covers 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations around the world over the last 19 years.

The index is updated monthly and is used as a global standard for citizens of independent countries.

The Henley Passport Index data show that worldwide mobility has changed significantly during the previous two decades. In 2006, people could travel visa-free to an average of 58 countries, but that number has nearly doubled this year to 111.