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Indian Passport Rises 5 Spots, Gains Access to 55 Destinations in 2026

India's passport has improved its global standing, jumping five places to rank 80th and providing access to 55 destinations without a pre-arranged visa. Singapore retains the top position with unparalleled visa-free access, while European nations continue to dominate the upper echelons of the index. The UAE is highlighted as the most improved passport over the last two decades, climbing 57 places due to diplomatic efforts. The report underscores a growing global mobility gap, where travel freedom remains closely tied to a nation's economic and political standing.

Key Points: Indian Passport Jumps 5 Places in Global Mobility Ranking

  • India rises to 80th globally
  • Singapore tops with 192 visa-free countries
  • UAE is top climber over 20 years
  • European passports dominate top 10
2 min read

Indian passport jumps five places in Henley Passport Index

India's passport climbs to 80th in Henley Index, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations. Singapore tops the list.

Indian passport jumps five places in Henley Passport Index
"Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation - Dr. Christian H. Kaelin"

New Delhi, Jan 14

Indian passports jumped five places in global mobility rankings in 2026, offering visa‑free, visa‑on‑arrival or eTA access to 55 destinations, a report said on Wednesday.

The Henley Passport Index placed India at 80th spot sharing this rank with Algeria and Niger. Singapore, which topped the list, has visa-free access to 192 countries. Japan (188 destinations) and South Korea followed closely, highlighting the connection of travel freedom with the economic strength of the country.

Indian travellers enjoy visa free access across parts of Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and island nations. However, advance visas are still required for most of Europe, the UK, the US, Canada and large parts of East Asia.

European passports dominated the top 10 spots, each offering access to more than 180 countries.

Afghanistan remained the weakest passport with access to just 24 destinations. The United States returned to the top 10 in the index after a brief dip in recent years, even as both the US and UK recorded steep year‑on‑year losses in visa‑free access.

"Over the past 20 years, global mobility has expanded significantly, but the benefits have been distributed unevenly", said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman at Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index.

"Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation, with rising average access masking a reality in which mobility advantages are increasingly concentrated among the world's most economically powerful and politically stable nations," he added.

Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland were in third spot of the index with access to 186 destinations, ahead of an unprecedented group of ten European countries sharing the fourth position.

The UAE emerged as the strongest performer on the Henley Passport Index over the past 20 years, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006. It climbed 57 places to fifth spot with visa-free access to 184 destinations, driven by sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalisation.

China ranked 59th with visa-free access to 81 destinations.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who travels frequently for work, the visa-on-arrival for Southeast Asia and parts of Africa is a huge relief. Saves so much time and paperwork. Hopefully, we can get similar arrangements with some European countries soon. The process for Schengen visas is still a major hassle.
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Priya S
It's a bit disheartening to see we are ranked with Algeria and Niger. We are the world's fifth largest economy! The connection to economic strength mentioned in the article is clear. When will the UK, US, and Canada trust us with visa-free travel? That's the real benchmark for me.
R
Rohit P
The improvement is welcome, but let's be honest—55 destinations is not a lot for a country of 1.4 billion people. The UAE's climb is inspirational. We need to focus on bilateral relations and convince more nations about the responsible travel behaviour of Indian tourists.
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Meera T
While progress is slow, we must acknowledge it. A few years ago, we were much lower. The gap with China (81 destinations) is also narrowing. Our foreign ministry is doing good work. The focus should be on overstay and illegal immigration concerns that other countries have. We need to address those perceptions.
V
Vikram M
Good to see movement, but the ranking feels symbolic. For the average middle-class family planning a holiday to Europe or the US, nothing has changed. Still need to navigate the complex, expensive visa process. That's the real test of passport power.

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