The Times of India’s 19 January 2026 breakdown of the Henley Passport Index shows India moving up five spots to rank 80, tying with Algeria and granting holders access to 55 jurisdictions without a pre-departure visa. Destinations newly counted in the visa-free basket include Malaysia and Kazakhstan, signalling dividends from New Delhi’s quiet diplomacy and digital-visa negotiations.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
For Indian companies the incremental rise, while modest, eases short-term travel for project teams, after-sales engineers and conference delegates to emerging markets in Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Visa-on-arrival options in Indonesia, Jordan and the Maldives give corporate mobility planners more flexibility when last-minute deployments arise.
Yet India still trails neighbours like China (rank 64) and aspirational peers such as Brazil (rank 20). Industry associations argue that continued liberalisation—such as expanding the e-visa programme and concluding pending air-services agreements—could further lift mobility scores.
![Henley Index 2026: Indian passport climbs to 80th, opening 55 visa-free or VoA destinations]()
To make sense of these shifting rules, travellers can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), which aggregates up-to-date entry regulations, offers step-by-step e-visa filing assistance and even manages passport logistics for corporate teams—saving both HR managers and individual flyers valuable time.
Practical advice for travellers: always check whether an ETA is required despite ‘visa-free’ publicity; ensure passport validity exceeds six months; and carry proof of accommodation and funds, which frontline officers in smaller island nations often demand.
From a talent-mobility perspective the ranking uptick, combined with India’s new chip-enabled e-passports, will gradually improve the employee experience—but firms should still budget extra lead time for Tier-1 visa markets like the US and Schengen zone, where wait times remain high.
For Indian companies the incremental rise, while modest, eases short-term travel for project teams, after-sales engineers and conference delegates to emerging markets in Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Visa-on-arrival options in Indonesia, Jordan and the Maldives give corporate mobility planners more flexibility when last-minute deployments arise.
Yet India still trails neighbours like China (rank 64) and aspirational peers such as Brazil (rank 20). Industry associations argue that continued liberalisation—such as expanding the e-visa programme and concluding pending air-services agreements—could further lift mobility scores.
To make sense of these shifting rules, travellers can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), which aggregates up-to-date entry regulations, offers step-by-step e-visa filing assistance and even manages passport logistics for corporate teams—saving both HR managers and individual flyers valuable time.
Practical advice for travellers: always check whether an ETA is required despite ‘visa-free’ publicity; ensure passport validity exceeds six months; and carry proof of accommodation and funds, which frontline officers in smaller island nations often demand.
From a talent-mobility perspective the ranking uptick, combined with India’s new chip-enabled e-passports, will gradually improve the employee experience—but firms should still budget extra lead time for Tier-1 visa markets like the US and Schengen zone, where wait times remain high.
