NEW DELHI, Oct 15: The Indian passport has slipped several spots in the latest Henley Passport Index, landing at 85th place.
India now shares its rank with Mauritania, and holders of an Indian passport can travel visa-free to 57 countries.
According to the index released by London-based consultancy Henley & Partners, three Asian nations top the 2025 global passport rankings. Singapore leads the list 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 travel visa-free to 37 more destinations 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 region.
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, dropping to its lowest-ever position at No. 8, down two places from last year, despite having topped the index in 2015. (Agencies)
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