The Henley Passport Index 2025 has brought good news for Indian travelers — the Indian passport has climbed to its highest ranking in a decade, now standing at 77th position globally. This marks a significant improvement from 85th place in 2024, giving Indian passport holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 59 countries.
This is a notable jump from the 90th spot in 2021, India’s lowest-ever ranking, and closer to its best record in 2006 when it stood at 71st place.
What is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index is a global ranking of countries based on the travel freedom their passports offer. It evaluates 199 passports against 227 destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The higher the number of destinations a passport holder can enter without a visa in advance, the stronger the passport.
With two decades of historical data, the index is widely used by governments, policymakers, and global citizens to track changes in passport power.
India’s 2025 Performance
In 2025, Indian passport holders can now visit 59 countries without needing a prior visa — up from 57 last year. This includes a mix of visa-free destinations and those offering visa on arrival or electronic travel authorizations.
Key Highlights:
- 2025 Rank: 77th (up 8 spots from last year)
- Visa-Free/Visa-on-Arrival Destinations: 59
- Lowest Rank Ever: 90th (2021)
- Best Rank Ever: 71st (2006)
Visa-Free Countries for Indian Passport Holders (2025)
Here is the complete list of countries where Indian citizens can travel without a prior visa (including visa-on-arrival & eTA options):
- Visa-Free / Easy Entry Destinations:
- Angola,
- Barbados
- Bhutan, Bolivia (visa on arrival)
- British Virgin Islands
- Burundi (visa on arrival)
- Cambodia (visa on arrival)
- Cape Verde Islands (visa on arrival)
- Comoros (visa on arrival)
- Cook Islands
- Djibouti (visa on arrival)
- Dominica
- Ethiopia (visa on arrival)
- Fiji, Grenada
- Guinea-Bissau (visa on arrival)
- Haiti, Indonesia (visa on arrival)
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Jordan(visa on arrival)
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya (electronic travel authority)
- Kiribati, Laos (visa on arrival)
- Macao(SAR China)
- Madagascar, Malaysia
- Maldives (visa on arrival)
- Marshall Islands (visa on arrival)
- Mauritius (visa on arrival)
- Micronesia
- Mongolia (visa on arrival)
- Montserrat
- Mozambique (visa on arrival)
- Myanmar (visa on arrival)
- Namibia (visa on arrival)
- Nepal
- Niue
- Palau Islands (visa on arrival)
- Philippines
- Qatar (visa on arrival)
- Rwanda
- Samoa (visa on arrival)
- Senegal
- Seychelles (electronic travel authority)
- Sierra Leone (visa on arrival)
- Somalia (visa on arrival)
- Sri Lanka (visa on arrival)
- St. Kitts and Nevis (eTA)
- St. Lucia (visa on arrival)
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tanzania (visa on arrival)
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (visa on arrival)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu (visa on arrival)
- Vanuatu
- Zimbabwe.
Global Passport Power Rankings – Top 10 in 2025
Asian countries continue to dominate the list of the world’s most powerful passports.
Top 10 Strongest Passports in 2025:
- Singapore – 193 visa-free destinations
- Japan – 190
- South Korea – 190
- Denmark – 189
- Finland – 189
- France – 189
- Germany – 189
- Ireland – 189
- Italy – 189
- Spain – 189
- Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden – 188
- Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland – 187
- United Kingdom – 186
- Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland – 185
- Canada, Estonia, UAE – 184
- Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia – 183
- Iceland, Lithuania, United States – 182
The 10 Least Powerful Passports in 2025
At the other end of the index, countries affected by instability and conflict have the weakest travel freedom.
Least Powerful Passports:
- 99. Afghanistan – 25 destinations
- 98. Syria – 27
- 97. Iraq – 30
- 96. Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen – 32
- 95. Libya, Nepal – 38
- 94. Bangladesh, Eritrea, Palestinian Territory – 39
- 93. North Korea – 40
- 92. Sudan – 41
- 91. Sri Lanka – 42
Why This Matters for Indian Travelers
The rise in ranking means greater travel convenience for Indian citizens, especially for spontaneous trips to nearby Asian, African, and island nations. However, the number is still relatively low compared to the top passports, highlighting the need for stronger bilateral agreements and diplomatic relations to improve global mobility for Indians.
Frequent travelers, especially business professionals and tourism enthusiasts, will benefit from shorter travel preparation times and reduced visa hassles in these 59 countries.
Final Takeaway
India’s jump in the Henley Passport Index 2025 is a positive sign of its growing global influence and improving international relations. While there’s still a long way to go before catching up with top-ranked passports like Singapore or Japan, the progress shows that Indian travelers are gradually gaining more freedom to explore the world.
For those planning international trips in 2025, this updated list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival destinations should be your go-to reference.
