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Henley Index 2026: Indian passport slips to 78th rank
12 May 2026

India's passport has slipped three ranks to the 78th position in the latest Henley Passport Index. The fall comes from its previous standing of 75th in February this year.

The index, which is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), ranks passports based on their visa-free access to different countries around the world.

Singapore tops the global passport ranking with visa-free access to 192 destinations. It is followed by UAE, South Korea and Japan.

Highest ranking of 71st in 2006
Historical context

The Indian passport reached its highest ranking of 71st in 2006. Now, it shares the 78th position with Burkina Faso, Cuba, and Senegal.

The Henley Passport Index evaluates 199 countries across 277 destinations worldwide.

It is a relative measure and experts say the weakening of the Indian passport could be due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia and Transatlantic regions.

Visa-free access to 30 countries
Travel options

Despite its fall in the Henley Passport Index, the Indian passport still offers a fair amount of travel freedom.

Passport holders can visit 56 countries without a visa or get one on arrival.

Visa-free access means entry is allowed without prior visa approval, subject to immigration checks upon arrival.

Currently, Indians enjoy visa-free access to 30 nations including Angola, Barbados, Bhutan and more.

Visa-on-arrival facilities
Additional access

In addition to visa-free access, Indian passport holders can also avail visa-on-arrival facilities in 23 countries. These include Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands and more.

The electronic travel authorization (ETA) is another avenue for Indians to gain entry into foreign countries. This is an online pre-travel approval that has to be obtained before departure but doesn't require a visa stamp on the passport.

The United States is in 10th position and has lost visa-free access to seven destinations.