After two years of slippage, the passport of India has regained some ground in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index, moving up to 75th place from 85th a year earlier.

The shift is modest but noticeable. The ranking now places Indian travellers in a position where they can enter 56 destinations without securing a visa in advance, either visa-free or on arrival. For frequent travellers, that figure often matters more than the ranking itself.

The index measures global mobility by counting how many destinations are accessible without a prior visa. A higher total generally means fewer administrative barriers at the airport counter and, in practical terms, easier movement across borders.

India’s recent climb follows a period of decline. The passport stood at 80th in 2024 and slipped further to 85th after that. The latest list suggests a partial recovery, though it remains short of the country’s best position of 71st, recorded in 2006.

At the top, the global order has not changed. Singapore retains the leading position, with access to 192 destinations. The gap between the top and middle tiers remains wide.

Japan and South Korea share second place, each offering entry to 187 destinations. Close behind are Sweden and the United Arab Emirates with access to 186.

Another cluster follows with marginal differences. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland each allow entry to 185 destinations.

The next tier includes Austria, Greece, Malta and Portugal, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand among the top ten.

For Indian travellers, the story sits somewhere in the middle of the table. Access has improved, but the range remains limited compared with leading passports. The movement upward signals easing restrictions in certain destinations rather than a structural shift in global travel hierarchy.

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In practical terms, the change means slightly smoother planning for trips abroad, though consular paperwork still dominates most long-distance travel decisions. The index, for now, reflects a recovery rather than a breakthrough.