India has slipped to the 81st position in the Henley Passport Index 2026, the 20th anniversary edition of the global ranking released by Henley & Partners. From its previous rank of 75th in February 2026, India now shares the spot with Mauritania and Algeria, with Indian passport holders having visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 55 destinations worldwide. The decline comes even as global travel freedom has nearly doubled over the past two decades, with the average passport now unlocking 108 destinations compared to just 58 in 2006.
What Is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index is the original and most widely referenced ranking of all the world’s passports. It was created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, a global firm specialising in residence and citizenship planning. The index measures the number of destinations that holders of a particular passport can access without needing a prior visa.
The ranking is based on exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information. Henley & Partners cross-checks this data through extensive in-house research and open-source online information. The index currently covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.
The methodology counts visa-free entry, visa-on-arrival, and Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) arrangements as visa-free access. E-visas and traditional visa requirements are counted as visa-required. When two or more passports achieve the same score, they share the same rank, and the next passport in sequence receives the next consecutive rank number. The index is updated monthly to reflect changes in visa policies across the world.
The 2026 Rankings: Who Leads and Who Lags
Singapore retains the top position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering its citizens visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates jointly hold the second position with 188 destinations each. The UAE is the standout performer of the 20th anniversary edition, having added 153 visa-free destinations over two decades and climbing from 62nd place in 2006 to joint 2nd in 2026, the largest gain in the index’s history.
Sweden ranks third with 187 destinations. A large cluster of European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, share the fourth position with 186 destinations.
| Rank | Countries | Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 192 |
| 2 | Japan, South Korea, UAE | 188 |
| 3 | Sweden | 187 |
| 4 | Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain | 186 |
| 5 | Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Switzerland | 185 |
| 6 | Hungary, Poland, UK | 184 |
| 7 | Australia, Canada, Czechia, Latvia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia | 183 |
| 8 | Croatia, Estonia | 182 |
| 9 | Liechtenstein, Lithuania | 181 |
| 10 | Iceland, United States | 180 |
The United States, which held the top position in 2006, has fallen to 10th place with 180 destinations, while the UK sits at 6th with 184 destinations. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index with access to just 22 destinations, creating a record 170-destination gap between the world’s strongest and weakest passport.
India’s Decline: From 71st to 81st in Two Decades
India’s passport journey over the past two decades tells a story of modest but uneven decline. When the Henley Passport Index was first launched in 2006, India was ranked 71st. Twenty years later, it stands at 81st, a net drop of 10 places.
India’s lowest point came in 2021, when it fell to 90th place, the worst ranking in the index’s history for the country. Since then, there has been a slow recovery, with the rank improving to 83rd in 2022, 84th in 2023, and 80th in 2024. The year 2025 saw a dip to 85th.
The current year, 2026, has been especially volatile. India opened the year at 85th, climbed to 75th in February (its highest in recent years), slipped to 78th in May, and has now dropped further to 81st in the July update.
| Year | India’s Rank | Key Movement |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 71st | Starting position on the index |
| 2015 | 88th | Major decline phase |
| 2021 | 90th | Lowest rank in 20-year history |
| 2024 | 80th | Recovery phase |
| 2025 | 85th | Decline resumed |
| Feb 2026 | 75th | Highest in recent years |
| May 2026 | 78th | Slipped |
| Jul 2026 | 81st | Current ranking |
The number of destinations accessible to Indian passport holders also saw a slight dip. In February 2026, Indian travellers could access 56 destinations without a prior visa. That number has now come down to 55 after Cape Verde Islands removed its visa-on-arrival facility for Indian passport holders.
Why Does Passport Strength Vary?
Passport strength is not simply a function of a country’s wealth or size. It depends on a complex mix of diplomacy, economic influence, geopolitical standing, and international trust.
A new analysis released alongside the 20th anniversary edition compared the Henley Passport Index with the Global Peace Index (GPI), which measures peacefulness across 163 countries. The analysis found a strong positive relationship between peace and passport power. Countries that are more peaceful generally enjoy stronger passports. Singapore, for instance, ranks 8th on the GPI and 1st on the passport index. At the other end, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen sit at the bottom of both rankings.
However, several notable exceptions prove that diplomacy can override peace deficits. Israel ranks 159th on the GPI but 18th on the passport index. The US, despite ranking 134th on the GPI, holds the 10th strongest passport. The UAE is perhaps the most striking case: ranked 73rd on the GPI, it holds the joint 2nd strongest passport, reflecting decades of aggressive diplomatic outreach and reciprocal visa-waiver agreements.
Henley & Partners’ analysis also notes that the global mobility gap has widened sharply. In 2006, the difference between the top and bottom-ranked passports was 118 destinations. Today, it stands at a record 170 destinations, highlighting the growing inequality in international travel freedom.
India’s Passport: Access to 55 Destinations
Indian passport holders currently have visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or ETA access to 55 destinations. The majority of these are in Asia, Africa, and island nations. Major destinations like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and most European countries require Indian citizens to obtain a visa in advance.
Key destinations accessible to Indian passport holders include Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kenya (via ETA), Seychelles, and several Caribbean nations such as Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Major economies that continue to require prior visas for Indian passport holders include the US, the UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, China, and the UAE (despite the UAE’s own passport being among the strongest, it requires Indians to obtain a visa).
Key Takeaways
- India ranks 81st in the 20th anniversary edition of the Henley Passport Index 2026, down from 75th earlier this year.
- Singapore holds the top position with visa-free access to 192 destinations, followed by Japan, South Korea, and the UAE jointly at second place.
- Indian passport holders currently have access to 55 destinations without a prior visa, a reduction from 56 earlier in 2026.
- India’s rank has fallen from 71st in 2006 to 81st in 2026, with its lowest ever position being 90th in 2021.
- The UAE recorded the largest gain in the index’s history, adding 153 visa-free destinations over 20 years to reach joint 2nd place.
- Afghanistan remains at the bottom with access to only 22 destinations, creating a record 170-destination global mobility gap.
- The Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive IATA Timatic data and covers 199 passports across 227 travel destinations.
