Indian Passport: India’s passport strengthened… 10 places jump in world ranking, but two places decrease in visa-free countries

New Delhi: Indian passport has performed brilliantly in the latest 2026 ranking of Henley Passport Index. Indian Passport, which was ranked 85th last year (2025), has now reached 75th position, i.e. an improvement of 10 places. This improvement is a positive sign in global mobility for Indian travellers.

However, despite this jump in the ranking, there was a slight fluctuation in the number of countries accessible through visa-free or visa-on-arrival/ETA. According to official data, Indian citizens can now travel to 56 countries without obtaining a prior visa. In January 2026 this number was 55, while in 2025 it was 57. Meaning, the rank improved but the total visa-free access decreased by two countries.

Which countries stopped visa-free facility?

According to reports, Iran and Bolivia stopped visa-free entry for Indian passport holders.

– Iran took this step in November 2025, behind which there were many cases of fraud, trafficking and fake job offers related to Indian citizens.

– Bolivia implemented the e-Visa system in 2026, where it became mandatory for travelers to apply online, upload documents and get approval.

How is passport ranking decided?

The Henley Passport Index ranks the world’s 199 passports based on 227 travel destinations. It is based entirely on official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Scoring takes into account visa-free entry, visa-on-arrival and electronic travel authorization (eTA). The more countries visited without an advance visa, the stronger the passport’s ‘mobility score’.

Top Ranked Passport

– Singapore ranks first (192 countries visa-free)
– Japan and South Korea at second place (187)
– Sweden and UAE on third (186)

This improvement in the Indian passport is better than in previous years, although still far from its best rank of 2006 (71st). This is good news for travel lovers that new agreements and diplomatic efforts are expected to bring further improvements in the future.