Indian passport jumps to 75th in Henley Index; visit 56 visa-free countries

Passport Ranking List 2026: India moves up 10 places in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, though its visa-free tally dips slightly to 56 destinations

India has climbed to the 75th spot in the latest Henley Passport Index, with its passport now offering visa-free access to 56 destinations. The ranking, released by Henley and Partners in its Global Passports Index, places India 10 positions higher than in 2025, when it stood at 85th. However, despite the rise in rank, Indian passport holders can travel to two fewer countries (Iran and Bolivia) visa-free this year, down from 57 last year.

 

India shares the 75th position with Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Madagascar and Mauritania.

 

What the passport ranking means

 

A passport index is often seen as a reflection of a country’s diplomatic reach and its standing in global politics. Since the Henley Passport Index began in the mid-2000s, countries such as Singapore, Japan and Germany have regularly featured at the top. Western European nations including France, Italy and Spain have also dominated the rankings over the years.

   

In recent editions, the United States and the United Kingdom have slipped from the very top positions. Nordic and Western European countries such as Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands have moved into the leading group.

 

What is the Henley Passport Index?

 

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports against 227 travel destinations. It measures how many places a passport holder can visit without obtaining a visa in advance.

 

The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The index provides a snapshot of global mobility at a given time.

 

Visa-free access for Indian passport holders

 

According to the latest index, Indian citizens can travel to 56 countries without securing a visa beforehand. They require a visa for 170 destinations.

 

Countries that Indians can visit without a visa include:

 

Barbados

Bhutan

British Virgin Islands

Burundi

Cambodia

Cape Verde Islands

Comoro Islands

Cook Islands

Djibouti

Dominica

Ethiopia

Fiji

Grenada

Guinea-Bissau

Haiti

Indonesia

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Laos

Macao (SAR China)

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Marshall Islands

Mauritius

Micronesia

Mongolia

Mozambique

Myanmar

Nepal

Niue

Palau Islands

Philippines

Rwanda

Samoa

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Sri Lanka

St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Tanzania

Thailand

The Gambia

Timor-Leste

Trinidad and Tobago

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Zimbabwe

Montserrat

 

India versus neighbours in South Asia

 

Among India’s neighbours, Maldives performed the strongest, ranking 49th with visa-free access to more than 93 destinations. China followed at 56th place, offering visa-free access to 82 countries.

 

Bhutan ranked 83rd, with access to 48 destinations. Myanmar stood at 88th, allowing travel to 43 countries without a visa.

 

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal were placed at 91st, 93rd and 95th respectively. Their passports offer visa-free access to 39, 37 and 35 destinations.

 

At the lower end of the regional table, Pakistan ranked 97th with access to 32 countries, while Afghanistan stood at 101st with access to 24.

 

World’s most powerful passports

 

Singapore retained its position as the world’s strongest passport, with visa-free access to 192 destinations.

 

Japan and South Korea shared second place, each offering access to 187 countries. Sweden and the United Arab Emirates followed in third position with access to 186 destinations.

 

In the February 2026 ranking, the United States stood at 10th place with visa-free access to 179 countries.

 

Among other developed economies, the United Kingdom ranked 7th with access to 182 destinations. France stood at 4th with 185 destinations, while Germany ranked 8th with 181. Canada also featured among the top positions.