Indian passport ranking: Govt rejects global ratings, says 27 countries offer visa-free entry

The Indian government has dismissed global ratings of its passport's mobility, asserting that 27 countries offer visa-free entry. Responding to a parliamentary inquiry, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, clarified that visa issuance is a sovereign decision for any nation, influenced by bilateral relations and reciprocity principles.

The passport ranked 125th in the Global Passport Index 2026, according to the residency and citizenship advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions. The Henley Passport Index ranked it 80th, a drop from 85th in 2025. The government acknowledged India's global ranking but emphasized the unstandardized nature of such rankings due to lack of universally accepted criteria.

Currently, 27 countries grant visa-free entry, 47 allow visa-on-arrival, and 66 offer e-Visa facilities to Indian passport holders. The government is actively seeking to improve ease of travel for citizens through visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and e-Visa arrangements. Bilateral mechanisms, such as Consular Dialogues and Official and High-Level visits, are employed to expand visa-free travel opportunities.

The Indian passport now complies with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) security guidelines.