The latest Henley Passport Index shows the Indian passport has slipped to 78th place. In February 2026, it was ranked at the 75th spot and now has dropped by three spots. This news is surely disappointing, but there are still many destinations where Indians can visit without a traditional visa. So here’s everything you must know about India’s passport rank and also the destinations with easier access.
India’s Passport Rank On Henley Passport Index Falls To 78th
What is The Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index is one of the most widely known and also referred to passport rankings across the world. This index is used to evaluate about 199 passports based on the number of destinations accessible to their holders. This is mainly based on the access that is granted to the holders without having to obtain a visa before their departure.
All these rankings are completely based on exclusive data that is procured from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This data includes three types of easier travel access:
- Visa-on-arrival
- Visa-free entry
- Electronic travel authorisation (ETA)
The simple logic here is that the higher your rank is, the more travel freedom is given to the holder of that rank’s passport.
Also Read: Henley Passport Index 2026: Which Countries Have The Strongest Passports? Where India Stands
Reason Behind India’s Rank Fall
The drop in India’s passport ranking from 775th to 78th is not mainly because of any major diplomatic decision. According to the experts, the rankings of the passports actually shift because of many other reasons. This includes:
- Bilateral agreements
- Movements of other countries
- Changes in global visa policies
In the case of India, the country still has 56 visa-friendly destinations, which suggests that the drop is not because of reduced travel access. In fact, this year India has climbed the rank ladder very smoothly from 85th rank in 2025 to 75th rank in February.
Also Read: Indian Passport & Japan Visa: Top 5 Underrated Countries Indians Can Visit With A Japan Visa
56 Countries That India Has Access To Without Traditional Visa
Indian passport holders can visit 56 destinations through one of the easier-entry routes as mentioned above.
Out of these, 23 destinations offer a visa-on-arrival. This means that the visa is issued to the passport holder at the border or airport on arriving there. These countries include the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Jordan, Indonesia, and Madagascar.
About 30 countries allow visa-free entry to Indian passport holders. This means that travellers can enter these countries without having to apply for a visa in advance. These countries include Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji, Barbados, Malaysia, Jamaica, Angola, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Cook Islands, Grenada, The Gambia, Kazakhstan, Haiti, Macao, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue, Rwanda, Thailand, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Tunisia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Qatar.
The remaining three countries need an Electronic Travel Authorisation or ETA. This means that one has to get a pre-approval process completed online before leaving for any of these three countries. These countries are St. Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, and Kenya.
Also Read: Germany Opens Visa-Free Transit For Indian Passport Holders
Summing Up
The Indian Passport has fallen to 78th rank on the Henley Passport Index. There is no major diplomatic setback behind this fall. The number of countries that can be accessed through easier-entry routes is still the same, that is, 56 destinations.
