Henley Passport Index 2026: India’s Ranking, Global Mobility and Methodology

Category: International Relations — International Mobility

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a traditional visa in advance, including eligible visa-on-arrival and certain other permitted entry arrangements under its methodology.

Key facts

  • Publisher: Henley & Partners.

  • Data source: International Air Transport Association (IATA) information, supplemented by the index's own research.

  • Purpose: To compare international travel access associated with different passports.

  • Rankings can change as countries alter their visa policies and entry arrangements.

India in the October 2026 edition

  • India was ranked 84th in the October 2026 edition.

  • Indian passport holders had access to 55 destinations without a visa obtained in advance under the index's scoring methodology.

  • India improved one place from its October 2025 ranking of 85th, despite the reported reduction in accessible destinations.

    The Indian Express
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Importance

  • Passport mobility can influence tourism, business travel, education and international professional opportunities.

  • Visa policies are affected by bilateral relations, immigration policy, security considerations and diplomatic agreements.

UPSC key pointers

  • Henley Passport Index is published by Henley & Partners.

  • It measures international travel access, not passport security or the quality of citizenship.

  • A country's ranking can improve even when its number of accessible destinations falls, because other countries' scores and rankings also change.

  • Do not confuse it with the Arton Capital Passport Index, which uses a different methodology.