Henley Passport Index 2025: India's 77th Rank and Global Mobility
UPSC Prelims
Current affairs
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Gajendra Singh Godara
Aug 23, 2025
10
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The Henley Passport Index is a widely-referenced global ranking of countries based on visa free for their passport holders. It serves as a barometer of global mobility, indicating how many countries one can visit without needing a prior visa. In 2025, the index highlights a steady increase in worldwide visa-free access. The global average nearly doubled from 58 destinations in 2006 to about 109 in 2025.
For India, the index is particularly significant as it reflects the country’s diplomatic efforts and international agreements affecting travel. India’s passport rank has fluctuated over the years, from a best of 71st in 2006 to a low of 90th in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The recent rebound to 77th place indicates regained strength in travel freedom.
Overall, the Henley Passport Index 2025 offers insights into which passports open the most doors, making it a useful tool for comparing international access for UPSC aspirants studying global indices and international relations.
Why in the News?
India’s position in the Henley Passport Index 2025 has been in the news after the latest update showed a significant improvement with visa free access to 59 countries.
In mid-2025, the Indian passport climbed eight places from 85th to 77th rank, marking the biggest six-month jump worldwide.
This rise is attributed to India gaining visa free or having holders visa on arrival access to 59 destinations (up from 57 earlier).
Notably the two countries Philippines and Sri Lanka were added as new visa free countries for Indian travelers, reflecting recent bilateral visa agreements.
Singapore’s passport topped the index, and India’s leap underscores an overall trend of improving global mobility post-pandemic.
Image Credit: NDTV | Profit
Introduction to Global Mobility
Global Passport Ranking:
The Henley Passport Index 2025 ranks 199 passports worldwide.
Based on the freedom of travel they afford, considering visa-free access to 227 destinations.
It is compiled by using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
India’s Improved Access:
Indian passport holders now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to 59 countries – a record high for India.
Recent additions like the Philippines and Sri Lanka have expanded India’s visa-free list.
Popular destinations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, and Thailand already allow Indians visa-free entry (or visa-on-arrival in some cases) for tourism.
This uptick in access has propelled India’s rank to 77th in 2025 from 85th a year earlier
Index Data Sources:
The index’s information is sourced from the IATA’s authoritative travel database, reflecting the number of countries and territories one can visit without a prior visa or with visa-on-arrival
By counting these destinations for each country, the Henley Index provides a quantitative measure of passport “power.”
Asian Countries Lead:
Asian passports continue to dominate the top of the index.
Singapore now holds the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations.
Close behind are Japan and South Korea (tied at 2nd place) with 190 visa-free destinations each.
European nations follow closely (many with 189 destinations), while the United States and UK have slipped to 6th and 10th ranks respectively in 2025.
Passport Index Methodology
Scoring: Each passport earns 1 point for every destination offering visa free entry, visa-on-arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
Zero score: Destinations that require a visa or any pre-departure government approval score 0.
Total score & rank: A passport’s score is the count of destinations not requiring a prior visa (e.g., India = 59). Rankings are ordered by this score across 199 passports.
Updates & data: The index is updated quarterly, using IATA’s global visa database and verification to reflect the latest policy changes.
What it measures: Each destination is equally weighted, so the index captures travel freedom, not the economic or strategic value of destinations.
Regional Insights and Implications
India’s Regional Standing:
With 59 visa free countries, the Indian passport now ranks third in South Asia (ahead of neighbors like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, which rank near the bottom globally.
India’s improved rank to 77th in 2025 was buoyed by visa free travel to regional partners easing entry barriers – for instance, Sri Lanka’s new visa-free entry for Indians and ongoing visa-on-arrival facilities in Indonesia and Myanmar have broadened travel options.
Such developments underscore the impact of India’s diplomatic engagements on travel freedom.
Asian Mobility Agreements:
The dominance of Asian countries in the index (Singapore, Japan, South Korea at the top) highlights how regional cooperation and strong bilateral ties enhance mobility.
Agreements within groups like ASEAN and other partnerships have enabled many Asian passports to gain reciprocal visa free arrangements, elevating their global rank.
India’s recent visa waivers with countries like Philippines and Sri Lanka exemplify how targeted diplomacy can yield a jump in passport power.
Global Disparities:
While citizens of Singapore can visit 193 places visa-free, at the other end Afghanistan’s passport (ranked 99th last) grants access to only 25 destinations.
Many conflict-affected or diplomatically isolated countries (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, etc.) cluster at the bottom with fewer than 40 visa-free destinations.
This 168-country gap between the strongest and weakest passports reflects differences in international relations, stability, and development.
Implications for India:
For Indian citizens, a stronger passport rank eases international travel, boosting opportunities for tourism, business, and education abroad.
It also reduces the cost and hassle of obtaining visas.
From the government’s perspective:
The Henley Passport Index is a reminder of the importance of bilateral and multilateral negotiations in securing visa waivers or mutual entry agreements.
India’s climb in 2025 signals effective diplomacy, yet there is scope to further improve by forging more visa-friendly pacts
For example with EU or OECD countries where visas are still required.
Global Passport Rankings 2025
Rank | Passport (Country) | Visa-free / VoA Destinations | Description |
1 | Singapore | 193 | Holders have visa-free access to 193 destinations; based on IATA Timatic data. Slight drop since January as two destinations moved to e-visa (pre-departure approval). |
2 (tie) | Japan | 190 | Asia leads globally; Japanese passport holders can enter 190 destinations without prior visas. |
2 (tie) | South Korea | 190 | Another Asian frontrunner; broad access across regions; methodology based on IATA data. |
3 (tie) | Denmark | 189 | EU cluster; strong mobility with balanced border security. |
3 (tie) | Finland | 189 | High Schengen access; consistent top-tier ranking. |
3 (tie) | France | 189 | One of Europe’s anchors with 189 accessible destinations. |
3 (tie) | Germany | 189 | Strong EU mobility; equal score to France, Italy, and Spain. |
3 (tie) | Ireland | 189 | Trans-Atlantic and EU-wide access; tied in third place. |
3 (tie) | Italy | 189 | High Schengen access and beyond; rigorous document security. |
3 (tie) | Spain | 189 | EU leader with extensive short-stay visa-free travel. |
6 | United Kingdom (UK) | 186 | Dropped one place since January; now at 186 destinations due to shifting policies. |
10 (tie) | United States (US) | 182 | At its lowest rank; stricter vetting reduced access to two destinations compared to last year. |
27 | Trinidad & Tobago | 149 | A Caribbean access hub; mid-to-high tier mobility. |
77 | India | 59 | Rose to 77th; visa-free/VoA access to Malaysia and Maldives. Thailand requires e-visa/arrival—check before departure. |
Last | Afghanistan | ~25 | Lowest globally; highly restricted due to security and policy limitations. |
The Henley Passport Index 2025 offers a compelling snapshot of the global mobility landscape, where passports are essentially “tickets” to the world. India’s rise from 85th to 77th place within months is an encouraging sign, reflecting successful diplomatic efforts to secure easier travel for its citizens. This improved ranking means more destinations open to Indians without prior visas – a tangible benefit for international travelers and professionals.
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