The latest Henley Passport Index for July reveals India’s ranking in the 80th place, in spite of the country offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 56 destinations.

India’s mobility score of 56 means Indian passport holders can enter 56 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure. Still, the latest ranking is down from 78th in May.

Recently, the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) had clarified that a passport was primarily a travel document and not a conclusive proof of citizenship. This statement sparked a nationwide political debate. Amid this, the government also implemented the first passport fee revision in 14 years.

The Henley Passport Index measures the travel freedom of 199 passports using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Passport rankings are relative and change as countries revise their visa policies. This means a passport can fall in the rankings even if its visa-free access remains unchanged.

According to the Global Passport Index 2026, India’s mobility ranking remains around 136th globally, indicating that other countries have expanded travel access at a faster pace.

Singapore continues to hold the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea and the UAE rank second with access to 188 destinations.

European nations such as Germany, France and Spain, among many others, hold the world’s strongest passports, each providing access to more than 185 destinations.

The US and the UK also continue to rank among the world’s most powerful passports. – editor@nrifocus.com