Outlook Business Desk
The Indian passport has slipped several spots in the latest global rankings, now standing at 85th place, tied with Mauritania. Holders can travel visa-free to 57 countries, says Henley Passport Index.
Earlier in 2025, India was ranked 77th, with access to 59 countries without a visa. The decline reflects changes in global mobility agreements and stricter border policies in many nations.
India’s passport ranking has varied significantly over the years, reaching a high of 71 in 2006 and a low of 90 in 2021, before standing at 80th place in 2024.
However, Indian citizens can now travel without a visa to 12 countries, including Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Indonesia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Nepal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Serbia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.
Indian citizens can now obtain a visa on arrival in 27 countries, such as Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Jordan, Laos, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu.
On the other hand, Indian travellers can apply for e-Visas to 44 countries including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Georgia, Hong Kong (SAR China), Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.
Meanwhile, Singapore leads the 2025 passport ranking with visa-free access to 193 countries, followed by South Korea with 190, and Japan with 189. These countries provide maximum travel freedom in Asia.
China has climbed from 94th in 2015 to 64th in 2025. Its citizens now enjoy 37 more visa-free destinations than a decade ago, including 30 added just in the past year.
In the past year, Beijing has also added 30 visa-free destinations, expanding travel opportunities through new agreements with countries across Europe, South America, and the Gulf.