Not the US or UK, not even Europe, this country has the most powerful passport know India ranking

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In today’s world, a passport is not just an identity document but also a measure of how easily a person can travel across the globe. The stronger a country’s passport, the more destinations its citizens can visit without a visa or with visa-on-arrival access. Based on this criterion, the Henley Passport Index releases an annual ranking of the world’s passports.

According to the latest Henley Passport Index 2026, Asian countries continue to dominate the global rankings. Singapore, Japan, and South Korea have secured the top positions, making their passports the most powerful in the world. These countries offer their citizens access to the highest number of destinations without prior visa requirements.

India has also shown improvement in the 2026 rankings. The Indian passport is ranked 80th, allowing Indian citizens to travel to 55 countries without a visa. This marks a better position compared to previous years and reflects gradual progress in India’s global mobility.

The Henley Passport Index measures how many countries a passport holder can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. In the 2026 list, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea lead due to strong diplomatic relations and global trust. On the other hand, Afghanistan once again holds the lowest position, with its citizens able to travel visa-free to only 24 countries.

The gap between the strongest and weakest passports now stands at 168 countries, highlighting a sharp global mobility divide. While citizens of some nations enjoy near-unrestricted international travel, others continue to face major hurdles. The 2026 index underlines that a passport’s strength is closely linked to a country’s diplomatic ties, international standing, and global credibility.