India Climbs 8 Spots to 77th Rank in Henley Passport Index July 2025 and Singapore Tops the List.

India climbed 8 spots to reach the 77th position in the Henley Passport Index July 2025, up from 85th in January 2025. Released on 22 July 2025 by Henley & Partners, the index highlights India’s improved global mobility and stronger diplomatic ties, marking a significant step in expanding visa-free access.

      - India now enjoys visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 59 countries globally, up from 57 in the previous index. With this improvement, India now shares the 77th rank with Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.

      - This progress is the highest upward movement recorded in this edition of the index and aligns with India's growing international partnerships and improved bilateral travel agreements facilitated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

      - Singapore retained the top spot in the Henley Passport Index 2025 by offering visa-free access to 193 of 227 destinations, making it the world’s most powerful passport. Japan and South Korea jointly hold the second rank with access to 190 countries. The strong performance of Asian countries in the top three demonstrates their global influence and robust diplomatic ties.

Main Point :-   (i) The third rank in the global index is jointly held by seven European Union (EU) countries: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Finland, Denmark, and Ireland, each providing visa-free access to 189 destinations. The fourth rank includes Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, with access to 188 destinations, reflecting Europe’s continued strength in passport mobility.

      (ii) India’s performance has steadily improved in recent years. In 2023, India stood at the 84th rank with visa-free access to 56 countries. By January 2025, the rank dropped slightly to 85th, but the July 2025 leap to 77th demonstrates the impact of recent bilateral efforts. Countries such as Madagascar, Bolivia, and Rwanda have recently added India to their visa-free or visa-on-arrival lists, boosting India's global mobility score.

(iii) The Henley Passport Index is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks 199 passports based on visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 227 destinations. It is widely used as a benchmark to evaluate a country’s travel freedom and international influence. India’s rise in the 2025 index enhances opportunities for business, education, and tourism and strengthens its diplomatic presence on the global stage.
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