Indian passport gets stronger: Jumps to 80th spot in 2026 from 85th last year

Indian passport holders planning overseas trips in 2026 may find the latest Henley Passport Index a sobering measure of their global mobility. In the 2026 rankings, India stands at 80th place, offering visa-free, visa-on-arrival or electronic travel authorisation access to 55 destinations. The country shares this position with Algeria and Niger, keeping it in the lower half of the worldwide mobility rankings. On the positive side, India has improved its standing by five places compared with last year, when it was ranked 85th. The Henley Passport Index assesses 199 passports against 227 destinations, assigning a score where no prior visa is required or where entry is permitted through visa-on-arrival or eTA.

The broader 2026 rankings underline the sharp imbalance in global travel freedom. Singapore continues to top the index, with access to 192 destinations, followed by Japan and South Korea with 188 each, while European countries dominate much of the top tier. At the bottom, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport, allowing access to only 24 destinations, even as the global average now exceeds 100. Experts note that although international mobility has expanded over the past two decades, its gains remain uneven, increasingly concentrated among wealthier and politically stable nations. The latest index also reflects shifting geopolitical realities, with the US returning to the top 10 after a brief exit, even as both the US and UK record some of their steepest long-term declines in passport strength, signalling deeper changes in diplomatic influence and global standing.