India’s passport continues its slow but steady climb up the Henley Passport Index, rising five places to 80th in the 2026 edition released on 17 January. The revised ranking means Indian citizens can now enter 55 jurisdictions without securing a traditional visa in advance—either completely visa-free, on arrival, or through an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). The improvement is modest in absolute terms but significant for a country that has historically lagged its Asian peers on travel freedom.
Behind the better score are dozens of quiet bilateral deals struck over the past year with small and mid-sized economies in Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Countries such as Angola, Barbados and Fiji shifted Indian travellers into the visa-free column, while Indonesia and Qatar moved to visa-on-arrival. Taken together, the additions shave days off pre-trip paperwork for Indian tourists and business travellers and remove cost and uncertainty for corporate mobility teams planning short-term assignments.
![Indian Passport Jumps to 80th Spot, Unlocking Visa-Free or Easy Entry to 55 Destinations]()
For Indian citizens still navigating complex entry rules for the remaining 170-plus destinations, VisaHQ offers a one-stop digital concierge. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) maintains real-time visa matrices, generates customised application kits and can file paperwork directly with consulates worldwide, ensuring travellers spend less time decoding regulations and more time booking flights.
For multinationals, the new ranking alters risk calculations for deploying staff on tight timelines. Mobility managers can now route Indian executives through more third-country hubs without transit visas and schedule short project visits with far less lead time. Airlines and travel-management companies, already seeing a rebound in outbound traffic after two years of subdued growth, expect an uptick in discretionary trips as red-tape barriers fall.
Yet the gap with regional competitors remains large. Singapore sits atop the index with access to 192 destinations, while Malaysia now allows Indians visa-free entry but still requires Indians to apply for eNTRI or e-visa in many cases. Industry bodies are urging New Delhi to reciprocate by widening India’s own e-visa scheme, arguing that easier inbound rules are the surest way to negotiate further outbound concessions. Until then, the latest ranking is best viewed as incremental progress rather than a mobility game-changer.
Behind the better score are dozens of quiet bilateral deals struck over the past year with small and mid-sized economies in Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean. Countries such as Angola, Barbados and Fiji shifted Indian travellers into the visa-free column, while Indonesia and Qatar moved to visa-on-arrival. Taken together, the additions shave days off pre-trip paperwork for Indian tourists and business travellers and remove cost and uncertainty for corporate mobility teams planning short-term assignments.
For Indian citizens still navigating complex entry rules for the remaining 170-plus destinations, VisaHQ offers a one-stop digital concierge. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) maintains real-time visa matrices, generates customised application kits and can file paperwork directly with consulates worldwide, ensuring travellers spend less time decoding regulations and more time booking flights.
For multinationals, the new ranking alters risk calculations for deploying staff on tight timelines. Mobility managers can now route Indian executives through more third-country hubs without transit visas and schedule short project visits with far less lead time. Airlines and travel-management companies, already seeing a rebound in outbound traffic after two years of subdued growth, expect an uptick in discretionary trips as red-tape barriers fall.
Yet the gap with regional competitors remains large. Singapore sits atop the index with access to 192 destinations, while Malaysia now allows Indians visa-free entry but still requires Indians to apply for eNTRI or e-visa in many cases. Industry bodies are urging New Delhi to reciprocate by widening India’s own e-visa scheme, arguing that easier inbound rules are the surest way to negotiate further outbound concessions. Until then, the latest ranking is best viewed as incremental progress rather than a mobility game-changer.
