Henley passport index 2023: India climbs to 80th spot, offers visa-free travel to 57 destinations
Henley passport index 2023: On Tuesday, the Henley Passport Index released its latest ranking, placing India's passport at the 80th spot, marking a five-place improvement from its 2022 position. Indian passport holders can now travel to 57 destinations without requiring a visa.
India's current rank puts it on par with countries like Togo and Senegal. Although Indians have visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to several countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Rwanda, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka, they still need visas to enter 177 destinations globally, which includes countries like China, Japan, Russia, the United States, and the European Union member states.
In the updated ranking, Singapore has claimed the title of the world's most powerful passport, surpassing Japan. Singaporean passport holders now enjoy visa-free entry to an impressive 192 global destinations.
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After occupying the top spot for five years, Japan dropped to the third position due to a decrease in the number of destinations it can access without a visa. Similarly, the United States, which held the top position almost a decade ago, slid two places to the eighth spot. On the other hand, the UK experienced an upward shift of two places, securing the fourth position, which it last held in 2017. Afghanistan, with access to only 27 destinations, finds itself at the bottom of the list.
The Henley Passport Index, created by Dr Christian H Kaelin, is a popular online tool used to display, sort, and rank the world's passports. It is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. The index is continuously updated in real-time to reflect visa policy changes as they occur throughout the year.
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- With inputs from agencies
