Immigration News & Updates

India Drops in Henley Passport Index 2025: Singapore Leads the World’s Strongest Passports

India’s ranking falls to 85th in Henley Passport Index 2025, with Singapore holding the top position. Discover the countries with the most powerful passports worldwide.

Singapore Takes the Lead; India Slips 5 Spots in World’s Most Powerful Passports

In the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, India has seen a significant drop in its global passport ranking, slipping five spots from 80th to 85th. The country now shares its position with Equatorial Guinea and Niger. While the Indian passport still allows visa-free access to 57 destinations, this decline reflects a changing dynamic in global mobility.

Meanwhile, Singapore continues to lead the list of the world’s most powerful passports, enabling its citizens to travel visa-free to 195 destinations worldwide. This article explores the rise and fall of countries in the Henley Passport Index, with a special focus on India’s declining rank.

India’s Passport Ranking: A Closer Look

As of 2025, Indian passport holders enjoy visa-free access to 57 countries, ranking 85th globally. This marks a significant fall from last year’s position of 80th. The index is based on exclusive data from Timatic, a resource maintained by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which tracks the number of countries a passport holder can visit without requiring a visa.

India’s 2025 Passport Ranking Breakdown:

India’s passport strength has been gradually waning, and this ranking drop highlights the growing challenges for its citizens when it comes to international travel freedom.

Who Holds the Top Spot?

At the top of the Henley Passport Index, Singapore remains the most powerful passport worldwide. With access to 195 countries visa-free, Singaporean citizens enjoy unparalleled freedom of movement.

Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in 2025:

Singapore’s dominance is clear, with its citizens enjoying the highest visa-free access globally, far ahead of the competition.

The UAE’s Remarkable Rise

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shown significant improvement in recent years. Since 2015, the UAE has gained access to 72 more destinations, which has propelled it to 10th position in 2025, with visa-free access to 185 countries. The UAE’s rise in the rankings is seen as one of the most notable changes in the index.

Decline of US Passport

The US passport, traditionally strong, has witnessed a remarkable decline over the past decade. From holding second place in 2015, the US now finds itself in 9th position, dropping seven places. Political shifts, including increasing isolationism, have contributed to the reduced power of the US passport, as highlighted by Annie Pforzheimer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Countries at the Bottom

At the other end of the spectrum, Pakistan and Yemen share the 103rd position on the Henley Passport Index, with access to only 33 visa-free countries. Following them are Iraq (31 countries), Syria (27 countries), and Afghanistan (26 countries), all of which face significant travel restrictions.

The Henley Passport Index 2025 underscores the shifting landscape of global mobility, with some countries experiencing remarkable ascents while others see declines. Singapore remains at the top, while India’s slide raises concerns about the future strength of its passport. Whether the trend will continue depends on various geopolitical and diplomatic factors in the coming years.

Key Takeaways:

• India drops five places to 85th in the Henley Passport Index 2025.
• Singapore retains the top spot with visa-free access to 195 countries.
• UAE has made the most significant rise, jumping 32 places since 2015.
• The US passport drops significantly, from 2nd to 9th.

For a comprehensive understanding of passport strengths and the freedom of global travel, the Henley Passport Index offers valuable insights.