Our Bureau
New Delhi
The Indian passport has made a good jump in the rankings of the Henley Passport Index 2025. The passport has been ranked eight spots higher than what it was ranked a year ago and currently sits at the 77th spot in the index of 2025. This is a highly notable rise for the passport in the Henley index which was not expected by many.
The Indian passport was ranked 85th last year but rose to the 77th position even though India gained visa-free access to just two additional countries in Sri Lanka and Philippines. With these new additions the Indian passport holders can now visit a total of 59 countries visa-free or with visa-on-arrival.
The Henley Passport Index is a ranking that is based on the number of destinations a country’s passport holders can travel to without having a prior visa to travel. So on one hand India’s rank in the global index has improved but on the other, the mobility score of the country remains very modest in comparison to some of the top-performing countries.
The CEO of Henley & Partners, Dr Juerg Steffen has highlighted a growing global interest in mobility. He stated, “In today’s world, a passport is more than a travel document — it reflects a country’s diplomatic strength and international ties. Strategic mobility planning has become crucial in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical landscape. Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally.”
Meanwhile, Asian countries have continued their domination on the global mobility rankings. Singapore has retained the top spot once again in the index with visa-free access to 193 destinations. Japan and South Korea are ranked just below with visa-free access to 190 countries.
