India's passport strength has experienced a notable uptick, climbing up from the 87th to the 80th position in the latest Henley Passport Index of 2023. This annual global ranking system is based on the number of countries that citizens can access without needing a visa. This year, holders of Indian passports can explore 57 different countries across the globe without requiring a pre-entry visa, highlighting the passport's increasing influence on the international stage.

Sharing its ranking with the West African nations of Senegal and Togo, India's improved position in the index signifies the growing acceptance and recognition of the Indian passport. The annually published index, compiled by Henley & Partners, a well-known migration consultancy firm, is firmly grounded on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The report, which was released on July 18th, brings positive news, especially considering that India was ranked seven positions lower in the previous 2022 Henley Passport Index.

Apart from ranking countries based on their passport's visa-free access, Henley & Partners also launched an openness index this year. This new feature grades countries on the visa-free access they provide to international travellers. India, along with Libya, Bhutan, Eritrea, and Equatorial Guinea, was placed in the penultimate position, since it allows visa-free entry to passport holders from merely five countries. Countries that allow no visa-free access at all, including Afghanistan, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, and Turkmenistan, occupy the bottom of the index.

So, where exactly can Indian passport holders travel without needing a visa? According to the Henley Passport Index, Indian travellers can pack their bags for 57 countries without worrying about visa formalities. The destinations include Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Jordan, Oman and Qatar, and South American nations such as Bolivia and El Salvador.

The list also features numerous beautiful island nations in the Oceania region, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The Caribbean is another option with destinations like Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago offering visa-free entry.

In Asia, countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao (SAR China), Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste welcome Indian travellers without a visa. The African continent boasts the highest number of countries that allow visa-free entry to Indian passport holders. However, Indian travellers may be disappointed to learn that the list does not include countries in Europe and North America, which are some of the most popular destinations.

This year, Singapore topped the Henley Passport Index, ending Japan's five-year reign at the top. A Singaporean passport now opens doors to 192 countries without requiring a visa. Germany, Italy, and Spain have moved up to the second position, providing access to 190 destinations, while Japan shares the third spot with six other nations — Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden. All these countries permit their citizens to visit 189 destinations visa-free.

After six years of decline, the UK has made a comeback, rising to the fourth place, a position it last held in 2017. UK passport holders can now travel to 188 countries without a visa. Belgium and the Czech Republic, tied at the fifth rank, grant their citizens access to 187 countries without a prior visa.

In contrast, the US continues its downward trend that started a decade ago, slipping two more positions to the eighth spot. US passport holders can now travel visa-free to 184 countries. Ten years ago, in 2014, both the US and UK were at the top of this index.

The report also mentions the weakest passports, with Afghanistan anchored at the bottom of the list, offering its citizens visa-free travel to only 27 countries. It is followed closely by Iraq (29), and Syria (30), thus rounding up the three weakest passports globally.