The latest rankings on the Henley Passport Index are out, and India has slipped to the 85th position, marking a modest decline from its previous standing. According to the 2025 index, Indian passport holders now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 destinations worldwide. The dip reflects the increasingly competitive landscape of global mobility, where even minor changes in visa policies can affect rankings.
While Indian travellers continue to have easy access to several destinations across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, the decline also highlights the need for stronger diplomatic efforts to make international travel smoother. Despite this setback, the Indian passport remains one of the most widely held in the world, underscoring the growing aspirations of Indian travellers in an era of dynamic global movement.
The Henley Passport Index is one of the world’s most authoritative and original global ranking system that measures the strength of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.
Compiled by Henley & Partners, a leading global citizenship and residence advisory firm, the index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is updated regularly, offering valuable insight into the evolving landscape of international travel, diplomatic relations, and visa agreements — serving as a trusted benchmark for assessing the relative strength and global access each passport provides.
According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, India ranks 85th, with its citizens enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 destinations worldwide:
Indian passport holders are eligible for visa-free entry to 29 destinations worldwide: Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Iran, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Macao (SAR China), Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, and Vanuatu. These visa-free destinations span across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, making it easier for Indian travellers to explore diverse cultures, natural beauty, and business opportunities without the need for advance visa processing.
In addition to the visa-free nations, Indian citizens are eligible for visa-on-arrival entry in 27 destinations, along with Kenya, which offers an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). These include Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niue, Palau Islands, Qatar, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, and Zimbabwe. These countries allow Indian travellers to obtain a visa conveniently upon arrival, making short-term travel for tourism or business smoother and more accessible.
Additionally, the 2025 Henley Passport Index reveals countries with the strongest passports. Singapore holds the top position this year, followed by South Korea and Japan. Several European nations occupy the next few ranks, underscoring the region’s enduring advantage in travel freedom. Holders of the top ten passports can enter between 182 and 193 destinations without a prior visa — a sharp contrast to countries lower on the list where international travel remains comparatively more restricted.
For the first time in two decades, the United States passport has dropped out of the top 10 in the Henley Passport Index, slipping to 12th place in the 2025 rankings.
1. What is India’s rank on the 2025 Henley Passport Index?
India ranks 85th in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 countries.
2. What is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index ranks global passports based on how many countries holders can visit without a prior visa, using IATA data.
3. How many visa-free countries can Indian passport holders visit in 2025?
Indian passport holders can travel to 57 destinations worldwide either visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access.
4. Which are the top visa-free destinations for Indian travellers?
Popular visa-free destinations include Thailand, Mauritius, Bhutan, Maldives, Malaysia, and Fiji.
5. Which country has the strongest passport in 2025?
According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, Singapore holds the strongest passport, followed by South Korea and Japan.
