A spirited exchange on social media between Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu and commentator Vijay Shekhar on 29 December thrust India’s passport ranking into the spotlight. Vembu tweeted that India’s global image had improved dramatically, citing growing FDI and space missions, but Vijay retorted that the Henley Passport Index still places India below Malaysia and Chile—proof that mobility hasn’t caught up with ambition.
India’s passport currently offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 destinations, ranking 85th. While this is a slide from 77th earlier in the year, officials argue that the raw tally masks qualitative gains, such as easier long-term digital nomad visas in Portugal and Greece secured through bilateral talks.
![Debate erupts over India’s passport power as ranking row goes viral on X]()
For travelers wrestling with shifting requirements—and for companies managing assignees—VisaHQ can streamline the process by providing real-time visa rules, electronic application tools, and door-to-door document handling. Whether you need a single-entry stamp for a business trip or guidance on multi-country itineraries, their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) consolidates the latest consular updates and offers dedicated support, reducing uncertainty as New Delhi works to expand its passport’s reach.
Travel-policy experts say rankings can influence corporate site-selection and expatriate willingness to accept assignments: “Executives compare hassle-factors; a lower rank raises relocation premiums,” notes Priya Rao of KPMG Mobility Services. She urges New Delhi to accelerate pending mutual-visa-waiver pacts with Latin American and African partners.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs points to ongoing e-passport roll-out and negotiations for Automatic Immigration Gates with Singapore and Japan as evidence of progress. Whether that will translate to a higher 2026 index position remains to be seen.
India’s passport currently offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 destinations, ranking 85th. While this is a slide from 77th earlier in the year, officials argue that the raw tally masks qualitative gains, such as easier long-term digital nomad visas in Portugal and Greece secured through bilateral talks.
For travelers wrestling with shifting requirements—and for companies managing assignees—VisaHQ can streamline the process by providing real-time visa rules, electronic application tools, and door-to-door document handling. Whether you need a single-entry stamp for a business trip or guidance on multi-country itineraries, their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) consolidates the latest consular updates and offers dedicated support, reducing uncertainty as New Delhi works to expand its passport’s reach.
Travel-policy experts say rankings can influence corporate site-selection and expatriate willingness to accept assignments: “Executives compare hassle-factors; a lower rank raises relocation premiums,” notes Priya Rao of KPMG Mobility Services. She urges New Delhi to accelerate pending mutual-visa-waiver pacts with Latin American and African partners.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs points to ongoing e-passport roll-out and negotiations for Automatic Immigration Gates with Singapore and Japan as evidence of progress. Whether that will translate to a higher 2026 index position remains to be seen.
