In the 2026 Henley Passport Index, the Indian passport has shown a resilient recovery, climbing five places to secure the 80th position globally.1 While the ranking has improved from 85th in 2025, the mobility landscape remains nuanced: Indian citizens can currently access 55 destinations via visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) routes—a slight decrease from the 57 destinations available in the previous year.2
This ranking places India in a tie with Algeria and Niger, reflecting a steady diplomatic effort to expand travel freedom despite shifting global visa policies.3
The index categorizes "passport power" based on the ease of entry.4 Here is how those 55 destinations are broken down:
| Category | Description | Travel Ease |
| Visa-Free | No prior approval or paperwork needed. Walk straight to immigration. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Visa on Arrival (VOA) | No pre-departure visa, but you apply and pay (if applicable) at the destination border. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| ETA / e-Visitor | A quick online registration required before flying; usually processed within hours. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Asia: Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Macao (SAR China), Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand.
Africa: Angola, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal.5
Americas/Caribbean: Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St.6 Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago.7
Oceania: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue, Vanuatu.8
Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Qatar, Timor-Leste.9
Africa: Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Oceania: Marshall Islands, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu.10
Americas: Bolivia, St. Lucia.
Kenya (Standard ETA required for all visitors)11
Seychelles (Travel Authorization required)
Sri Lanka (Digital ETA)12
Myanmar (Online e-Visa/ETA)13
St. Kitts and Nevis
Even as India’s rank improves relative to other nations, the drop from 57 to 55 destinations highlights that passport power is dynamic.14 Factors such as temporary security suspensions, changes in diplomatic reciprocity, or the transition from "Visa-on-Arrival" to "E-visa" (which the Henley Index counts as a "Visa Required" category) can influence these numbers.
