India climbs 5 places on Henley Passport Index; check list of 55 visa-free destinations

India has climbed five places to 80th position on the Henley Passport Index 2026, a modest improvement in global mobility for Indian passport holders.

India was ranked 85th last year.

According to the latest rankings, holders of an Indian passport can now access 55 destinations visa-free, including those allowing visa on arrival (VOA), visitor’s permits or electronic travel authorisations (ETA).

The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free access of 199 passports to 227 travel destinations worldwide.

A score of one is awarded if no visa is required, or if travellers can obtain a VOA, visitor’s permit or ETA on arrival.

A score of zero is assigned where a visa is required prior to departure, including cases where government-approved electronic visas or pre-departure approvals are mandatory.

The total score for each passport is the sum of destinations where a score of one applies.

India’s best ranking in the past two decades was 71st in 2006, while its worst position came in 2021, when it was ranked 90th.

At the top of the 2026 rankings, Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan and South Korea shared the second rank, each with access to 188 destinations.

The third rank was jointly held by Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Countries ranked fourth included Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Norway.

The fifth rank was shared by Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates.

Further down, the sixth rank included Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand and Poland.

Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom were jointly ranked seventh, followed by Canada, Iceland and Lithuania at eighth place.

Malaysia stood at ninth, while the United States rounded out the top ten.