India has moved up 10 places in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, now standing at 75th globally. However, there’s a twist: Indian passport holders can access slightly fewer destinations without prior visa approval compared to last year.
According to the latest rankings, Indian citizens currently enjoy visa-free or simplified entry to 56 destinations, down from 57 in 2025. The reduction comes after Iran and Bolivia revised their visa policies, removing India from their visa-free access lists.
Earlier this year, in January 2026, India ranked 80th with access to 55 destinations. By February, the rank improved to 75th, and access rose to 56 destinations after The Gambia was added. Still, the total remains slightly below last year’s 57 destinations.
The Henley Passport Index evaluates 199 passports across 227 destinations, using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Destinations that allow visa-free travel, visa on arrival, or basic electronic authorisations are counted, while countries requiring advance visa approval do not qualify.
Why Indians lost visa-free access
Iran suspended visa-free entry for ordinary Indian passport holders in November 2025, citing fraud and trafficking cases. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that “individuals were tricked into travelling to Iran using the visa waiver facility and were kidnapped for ransom upon arrival.” As a result, Indians now need a visa before traveling to Iran.
Bolivia also changed its rules, replacing visa-on-arrival with a prior-approval e-visa system in 2026. Since advance authorisation is required, Bolivia no longer counts as a visa-free destination under the index.
How India still moved up
The rankings compare passports relative to one another. Even though India lost one visa-free destination, other countries’ policy changes reshuffled the rankings, boosting India’s position from 85th to 75th.
In short, while Indian travellers face a slight reduction in visa-free access, India’s global passport ranking has improved, reflecting stronger relative standing among other nations.
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