Indian passport jumps eight places, now visa‑free access to 59 countries

The Indian passport has made its largest-ever leap, climbing eight spots to rank 77th on the Henley Passport Index 2025, up from 85th last year.

This improvement comes despite securing visa-free access to only two new countries, bringing the total to 59 destinations for Indian travellers.

Those two additions are the Philippines and Sri Lanka, both now offering visa-free entry to Indian passport holders.

India now shares the 77th position with Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal, all of which also provide visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 59 countries.

Notable visa-free destinations include Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, and Thailand. Others offering visa-on-arrival include Sri Lanka, Macau, and Myanmar.

Overall access covers countries across Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, the Caribbean, and South America.

According to a Henley & Partners press release, India recorded the largest rise of any country over the past six months—up eight places—marking the most significant climb globally, even though only two additional destinations were added.

Henley & Partners CEO Dr. Christian Kaelin observed that the gains reflect "strategic diplomacy" in global mobility.

Despite this improvement, India’s passport remains modest compared to the top-tier: Singapore (visa-free access to 193 destinations) leads the index, followed by Japan and South Korea (190 destinations), and several European countries (189–188 destinations).

The global average number of visa-free destinations has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025, and more than 80 passports have climbed at least 10 places during this period.

For Indian travellers, this boost means easier travel planning, reduced visa hassles, and growing global mobility. Still, significant gaps remain compared to leading passports.