NEW DELHI: The Indian passport slipped several spots to 85th place in the latest global passport rankings of the Henley Passport Index.
India’s rank is tied with Mauritania, and the holders of an Indian passport can now travel visa-free to 57 countries.
As per the index released by London-based consultancy Henley & Partners, at the top of the 2025 ranking are three Asian nations. Singapore holds the first position with visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea with 190 and Japan with 189.
China has seen a major leap in global mobility over the past decade, climbing from 94th in 2015 to 64th in 2025. Its citizens can now visit 37 more destinations visa-free than they could ten years ago.
Beijing added 30 more visa-free destinations in a year alone, expanding access through fresh agreements with countries across Europe, South America, and the Gulf.
Recent developments, including granting visa-free access to Russia, show Beijing’s ongoing strategy of increased openness. China’s moves—alongside new agreements with the Gulf states, South America, and several European countries—are bolstering the Asia-Pacific region’s dominance in travel freedom, the Henley report said.
South Korea and Japan secured the No. 2 and No. 3 spots with visa-free access to 190 and 189 destinations, respectively.
European nations shared ranks at No. 4 and No. 5, alongside notable entries from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen a significant rise, moving from No. 10 to No. 8 this year, granting its citizens visa-free access to 184 destinations as of October 2025.
The United States has dropped to No. 12, tying with Malaysia, and now offers visa-free access to 180 destinations. The US held the top position in 2014.
The United Kingdom has also seen a decline, falling to its lowest-ever position at No. 8, down two places from last year, despite once topping the list in 2015.
