Global passport index to visa-free travel: Here's how powerful Indian passport is

If you have an Indian passport and get your adrenaline rush with every stamp you receive at international airports, you will be thrilled to know how powerful this document is. It is not a mere proof of identity. It’s more than just a travel necessity.

Here are some interesting facts about Indian passports that every travel enthusiast must know.

Where does Indian passport stand on global ranking?

A representative image showing an Indian passport.

There is a global passport index report rolled out every year, indicating how powerful passports of various countries are. In 2025, Henley & Partners, a company involved in residence and citizenship planning, revealed that India was doing better from the previous year. Its report stated that Indian passports had become more powerful this year, with its rank climbing eight places from 85th to 77th.

Even if India is not in the top 10 or even top 50, the country observed the largest jump in the global ranking over the past six months.

While India is far behind the lead position, yet powerful enough, Singapore holds the crown as the world’s most powerful passport. Japan and South Korea follow and hold the second place.

What does India's 77th rank mean to passport holders?

Frequent international flyers would know the benefits of a stronger passport as it simplifies the travel process and time involved in documentation.

The stronger the passport, the more visa-free destinations you have. Yes, with India's decent score on the global passport index, Indian passport holders are now likely to enjoy greater travel freedom, enabling them to visit more countries without needing to obtain a visa in advance. Either they benefit from visa-free access or the visa-on-arrival options.

So, if you have an Indian passport just remember it just got more powerful and you can avail the benefits during your next trip overseas.

Visa-free travel with Indian passport

A representative for travel.

Ordinary passport holders of India can travel without a visa to countries like Maldives, Mauritius, Thailand, and many more. Philippines and Sri Lanka recently entered this bracket. However, the visa-free access are limited to certain number of days, varying from destination to destination. Notably, Indians can also go on visa-free trips to Nepal and Bhutan, even without holding an Indian passport.

Visa on arrival destinations

Image showing stamp on passport where a visa is visible.

While some countries don't require Indian passports to produce a visa, others ease with on arrival procedures. Bali, which is one of the go-to international destinations for Indians, is not visa-free but Indonesia allows visa on arrival for Indian passport holders. Other countries offering this facility to Indians are Cambodia, Haiti, Oman, Qatar and more.

Countries where Indian rupee is greater

Noting that the Indian passport has become stronger and there are more countries which are now visa-free, travel enthusiasts would next consider the money aspect. We have you covered.

You may plan your trip to the top destinations where Indian rupee is much higher than the local currency. And, if the countries also eased visa regulations, those might be your top picks. For instance, Sri Lanka is now visa-free for Indian passport holders and it also offers better exchange rates. Indonesia (visa on arrival) and Nepal (visa free) also make it to the destinations for cheap and budget-friendly travel.

More details

The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. As India jumped to higher positions in the passport ranking, it saw two destinations, Sri Lanka and Philippines, becoming visa-free, pulling up the total to 59 countries.