India Drops To 81st In Henley Passport Index: What It Means For Indian Travellers

The recent update from the Henley Passport Index places India at the 81st, with visa-free access to 55 destinations. India started the year at 85th, rose to 75th in February, slipped to 78th in May, and is now 81st, according to the latest report released on July 21, 2026.

A country’s position in the index shows the freedom its travellers enjoy, as measured by the ease of flying to other countries. India’s fluctuation in the report can either reflect changes in the number of destinations Indians can travel to, or changes in other countries’ visa policies.

The July update, which shows India down three places from its previous score, also shows no change in the number of visa-free or visa-on-arrival countries Indians can travel to. With more reciprocal visa policies, stronger economic integration, and enhanced security frameworks, India could see its Henley ranking rise and Indian travellers experience greater ease of movement.

How Does The Ranking Work?

​The Henley Passport Index is created using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It evaluates 199 passports against the 227 travel destinations. Therefore, the strength of a passport is essentially based on its global mobility and the number of destinations its holders can travel to without applying for a visa beforehand. This year’s 20th-anniversary edition shows how global travel has evolved over the past two decades.

Singapore topped the list with its passport holders enjoying visa-free access to 192 countries. Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates are in second place. The UAE has advanced three places to rank second, with its passport offering access to 188 destinations. The United States is now in 10th place, with its passport allowing access to 180 destinations. Other countries in the top 10 include Belgium, Norway, Spain, Italy, Greece, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia. Afghanistan ranks the lowest, at 101st, with Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, and Nepal following closely.

Where Indians Can Travel

India’s current score reflects destinations that offer visa-free access, visa-on-arrival, and destinations requiring an Electronic Travel Authorization, a digital pre-travel approval that is generally faster and less cumbersome than a traditional visa application. The three destinations requiring the Electronic Travel Authorization are Kenya, Seychelles, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Countries that allow Indian travellers visa-free entry include Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Mauritius, Fiji, the Philippines, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Rwanda, and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, the visa-on-arrival list includes Tanzania, Qatar, Madagascar, Laos, Jordan, the Maldives, Mongolia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Therefore, subtle shifts in the Passport Rankings are less about travel restrictions and more about global geopolitical shifts.

The latest Henley Passport Index comes at a time when India is also witnessing changes to its internal passport ecosystem, with debates on its validity as proof of citizenship. Alongside fluctuations in its global ranking, the country has revised passport fees for the first time in 14 years, with a standard 36-page passport now costing INR 2,500, up from INR 1,500. While India's position on the index is likely to continue shifting in response to global visa policies and geopolitical developments, Indian passport holders still have access to 55 destinations without the need for a traditional visa before departure, keeping international travel relatively accessible. 

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