India has now ranked to 125th, slipping a place from its 124th rank in 2025, in the Global Passport Index 2026. However, India remains outside the top 100 despite a brief improvement last year.
The latest index shows that Indian passport holders currently have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 26 destinations. This is a limited travel mobility compared with many countries across Europe and parts of Asia.
According to the latest rankings, the Indian passport is placed below Namibia and behind countries such as the Philippines, Morocco and Uzbekistan, while remaining ahead of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
Indian travellers can visit countries including Bhutan, Nepal, Jamaica, Macau, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola and Barbados without obtaining a visa in advance or by securing a visa on arrival. However, Indian citizens still need a visa to enter around 88 countries, including major destinations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and the United Arab Emirates.
Among India’s neighbouring countries, China has emerged as the highest-ranked nation at 104th position, ahead of India’s 125th rank.
India nevertheless performs better than several South Asian countries in the index. Bangladesh is ranked 166th, Nepal 164th and Pakistan 188th, placing India significantly ahead of these nations in terms of passport mobility.
The top 10 positions in the Global Passport Index 2026 are largely occupied by European countries, reflecting the region’s continued dominance in international travel access.
Sweden holds the top spot, followed by Switzerland and Finland. Germany is ranked fourth, while Denmark and the Netherlands share the fifth position. Ireland is seventh, the United Kingdom eighth, Norway ninth and Singapore tenth.
Notably, the United States and France are both ranked 11th, narrowly missing out on the top 10, while Canada is placed 13th.
List of Top 10 countries in Global Passport Index 2026
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Germany
- Denmark
- The Netherlands
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
- Norway
- Singapore