Newsmakers

India's passport has slipped to 81st place in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index 2026, marking a decline from its 75th position earlier this year. The quarterly index, regarded as one of the world's leading measures of passport strength, ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a prior visa.

According to the latest rankings released by Henley & Partners, Indian passport holders currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations worldwide. While the number of accessible destinations remains unchanged from recent months, India's global ranking has slipped as other countries improved their travel access through new bilateral visa agreements and policy changes.

The latest decline follows a year of fluctuating fortunes for India's passport. The country began 2026 ranked 85th, climbed to 75th in the February edition—its strongest performance in recent years—before dropping to 78th in May. The newest July update places India at 81st, reflecting continued shifts in global mobility rankings.

The Henley Passport Index evaluates 199 passports against 227 travel destinations using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The index is updated periodically to reflect changes in visa regulations and international travel agreements. Rather than measuring the quality of a passport itself, it assesses how many destinations citizens can visit without securing a visa in advance.

At the top of the latest rankings, Singapore retained its position as the world's most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. It was followed by Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, which continue to rank among the strongest passports globally due to their extensive travel freedom.

The 2026 edition also marks the 20th anniversary of the Henley Passport Index. Over the past two decades, the average passport's global mobility has improved significantly, with visa-free access rising from around 58 destinations in 2006 to 108 destinations today, highlighting the long-term expansion of international travel freedom despite periodic geopolitical shifts.

Although India's latest ranking represents a setback compared to earlier this year, experts note that passport rankings are dynamic and influenced by reciprocal visa policies, diplomatic relations, and international agreements. Future changes in visa arrangements could once again alter India's position in upcoming editions of the index.