NEW DELHI, India — India’s passport has climbed five places in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, reflecting improved global mobility and offering Indian citizens visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or electronic travel authorization access to 55 destinations, according to the report released Wednesday.
India is ranked 80th on the index, sharing the position with Algeria and Niger. Singapore topped the global rankings, with its passport providing visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan followed with access to 188 countries, while South Korea also ranked near the top, underscoring the close link between travel freedom and economic strength.
Indian travelers currently enjoy visa-free or simplified entry across parts of Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and several island nations. However, advance visas are still required for most of Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and large parts of East Asia.
European passports dominated the top 10 rankings, with each offering access to more than 180 destinations worldwide.
Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the index, with visa-free access to just 24 destinations. The United States returned to the top 10 after a brief dip in recent years, despite both the U.S. and the UK recording year-on-year declines 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 of 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 jointly held third place, each offering access to 186 destinations, ahead of an unusually large group of ten European countries sharing fourth position.
The United Arab Emirates emerged as the strongest performer over the past two decades, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006. It climbed 57 places to fifth position, with access to 184 destinations, driven by sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalization.
China ranked 59th on the index, with visa-free access to 81 destinations. (Source: IANS)
