Global ranking improvement for Indian passports: Access to 59 visa-free destinations now possible
In a notable development, India has made a significant leap in the Henley Passport Index, moving up eight spots to the 77th position. This marks India's biggest-ever jump in the index, surpassing neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh in travel freedom rankings [2][3][5].
The improvement in India's ranking is primarily due to gaining visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to two additional countries. As a result, the total number of visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations for Indian passport holders has increased from 57 to 59 [2]. The newly added countries are the Philippines and Sri Lanka, offering visa-free access [2].
Other notable visa-free countries that remain accessible for Indian travellers include Malaysia, Indonesia, the Maldives, and Thailand [2][5]. Meanwhile, visa-on-arrival access is available in Macau and Myanmar [2][5].
The rise in India's ranking reflects diplomatic progress and growing travel freedom for Indian citizens. However, it's important to note that the absolute increase in visa-free countries was modest.
Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific airlines are reinforcing their dominance in global mobility. Global air travel demand grew by 5.8% in the first five months of 2025, with Asia-Pacific airlines leading the way with 9.5% growth [4].
Elsewhere, China has expanded its visa-free access significantly, improving its ranking from 94th to 60th since 2015. Chinese passport holders now have visa-free access to 75 nationalities [6]. China now has visa-free access to all GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia) and South American nations like Brazil and Argentina [4].
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has surged 34 places over a decade, now ranking 8th globally [4]. Seven European Union countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain) rank third, with access to 189 destinations [4].
At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, with access to just 25 countries [4]. The US has also continued its decline, now ranked 10th with access to 182 visa-free destinations [4].
New Zealand, Greece, and Switzerland rank fifth, with access to 187 destinations each [4]. Japan and South Korea follow closely, with access to 190 destinations each [4]. The gap between the top and bottom passports in the Henley Passport Index is 168 destinations [4].
References: [1] https://www.henleyglobal.com/research/passport-index/rankings [2] https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-moves-up-8-places-in-henley-passport-index-11683611153088.html [3] https://www.thehindu.com/business/India-moves-up-eight-places-in-Henley-Passport-Index/article66476794.ece [4] https://www.bloombergquint.com/global-economics/asian-airlines-lead-global-recovery-in-air-travel-demand [5] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-moves-up-9-places-in-henley-passport-index/article66476794.ece [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-expands-visa-free-travel-access-more-countries-2021-09-28/
In the context of the improvement in India's passport rankings, the enhanced travel freedom now allows Indian passport holders to visit additional destinations like the Philippines and Sri Lanka, thereby expanding their lifestyle opportunities for travel. Meanwhile, China's significant expansion in visa-free access to various countries has elevated its travel flexibility, facilitating a broader spectrum of travel experiences.
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