World's most powerful passports: India slips five places with 57 visa-free travel destinations, ranks at...

India's ranking on the Henley Passport Index 2025 has dropped five places, moving from 80th to 85th. The Henley Passport Index evaluates the strength of passports worldwide based on the number of destinations their holders can visit visa-free. This ranking is derived from Timatic data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

According to the latest rankings, Indian passport holders can now travel to 57 destinations without requiring a visa. India shares the 85th position with Equatorial Guinea and Niger.

Singapore Continues to Dominate the Index
For 2025, Singapore has once again secured the top spot as the world's most powerful passport. A Singapore passport allows its holder visa-free travel to 195 destinations worldwide, making it the strongest globally.

The other top-ranking countries include Japan, which holds second place with visa-free access to 193 countries, followed by Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain, each offering access to 192 destinations. Austria and Denmark round off the top 10, with their passports allowing visa-free travel to 191 countries.

UAE and US See Notable Changes
The UAE has made significant progress over the past decade, climbing 32 places to the 10th position in 2025. This improvement is due to the country securing visa-free access to 72 additional destinations since 2015, now enabling travel to 185 destinations.

Meanwhile, the US has seen a sharp decline, dropping from the 2nd position in 2015 to its current 9th spot. Experts attribute this decline to political and economic factors, including inward-looking policies and isolationist trends during recent years.

Countries at the Bottom
At the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, Pakistan and Yemen share the 103rd position, with visa-free access to just 33 countries. Iraq follows with 31 destinations, while Syria (27) and Afghanistan (26) rank the lowest globally.

The Henley Passport Index continues to reflect the evolving global dynamics of travel, highlighting the increasing importance of passport strength in an interconnected world.