World's most powerful passports: What is India's ranking?

Japan, Singapore and South Korea have the most powerful passports with over 190 destinations to visit visa-free or visa-on-arrival, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. The index shows a reversal in pre-pandemic rankings with these Asian countries now ahead of European nations which earlier featured on top of the list.

A Japanese passport provides hassle-free entry to 193 countries, one more than those from Singapore and South Korea. Singapore and South Korea held onto the joint second spot on the latest ranking, with passport holders able to access 192 destinations visa-free, while Germany and Spain shared third place with a score of 190. The US and the UK passports regained some of their previous strength to stand at 6th and 7th positions, respectively.

In respect to this, India's passport power has also seen an increase post-COVID recovery. As per the Index, Indian passport holders now have roughly the same travel freedom as they did pre-pandemic.

In terms of ranking, India stands at the 87th position globally, offering visa-free access to 60 countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Macau. 

“The recovery and reclamation of our travel freedoms, and our innate instinct to move and migrate, will take time,” Henley & Partners Chairman Christian Kaelin said in a statement.

The Henley Passport Index boasts historical data spanning 17 years. The index and its contents are based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.