India has made a noticeable climb in the latest global passport rankings, moving up to the 75th position in the 2026 Henley Passport Index. This marks a notable improvement compared with its 85th rank last year, reflecting enhanced relative standing in international mobility.
Despite this rise, there’s a subtle twist — Indian passport holders now have visa-free or simplified entry access to 56 countries, which is one fewer than in the previous year. Changes in visa policies by nations such as Iran and Bolivia led to a reduction in destinations where Indians could travel without prior visa approval.
Experts say that the overall rank improvement was influenced not only by India’s own travel access but also by shifts in how other countries’ passports performed under the index. The Henley Passport Index compares travel freedom across nearly 200 passports using data from the International Air Transport Association.
The updated ranking shows India’s growing global mobility, even as visa policies continue to evolve globally.
