India Slips to 125th in Global Passport Index 2026, Visa-Free Access Limited to 26 Destinations

India has slipped to 125th place in the Global Passport Index 2026, falling one position from last year and remaining outside the world's top 100 most powerful passports.

The latest rankings show that the Indian passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 26 destinations, while Indian travellers continue to require visas for around 88 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and the United Arab Emirates.

The decline comes after India had improved from 127th place between 2021 and 2023 to 124th in 2025, before slipping back this year.

India trails several Asian and African nations

According to the index, India ranks below countries including Namibia, the Philippines, Morocco and Uzbekistan, but remains ahead of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

Indian passport holders can currently travel without obtaining a visa in advance, or receive a visa on arrival, in destinations such as Bhutan, Nepal, Jamaica, Macau, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola and Barbados.

Position among neighbours

Within the region, China is the highest-ranked neighbouring country at 104th, well ahead of India.

However, India continues to rank above several South Asian nations, with Nepal placed 164th, Bangladesh 166th, and Pakistan 188th.

Europe dominates top rankings

European countries continue to dominate the Global Passport Index 2026, reflecting the continent's strong global travel mobility.

The top 10 passports are:

Outside the top 10, the United States and France are jointly ranked 11th, while Canada occupies 13th position.

The latest rankings underline the continued disparity in global travel freedom, with European passports retaining the widest international mobility while countries such as India continue to face relatively stringent visa requirements across much of the world.