The Foreign Ministry’s recent clarification that a passport is a travel document and not conclusive proof of nationality has sparked a political controversy. With the document under new scrutiny, here’s a look at the Indian passport’s global ranking and what it means.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index 2026, released in February, India ranks 75th in the world, a significant improvement from 85th in 2025. The index, which measures the freedom of travel offered by passports around the world, gives India a visa-free score of 56.
This means that Indian passport holders can travel to 56 destinations without obtaining a prior visa. The result includes countries that allow visa-free entry, visa on arrival, visitor permits or electronic travel authorizations (ETAs).
Read Also: ‘Not decided yesterday’: Govt clarifies MEA’s statements on passport, citizenship, cites 1967 law, Bombay HC ruling
The reconsideration of passport classification comes amid an ongoing dispute over citizenship documents. Controversy erupted on Wednesday when the Middle East Aviation Agency, while unveiling the benefits of chip-enabled e-passports, said that a passport should not be considered conclusive proof of citizenship.
The remarks quickly gained traction on social media, with users asking why a document that enables international travel, secures consular protection abroad, and is accepted by immigration authorities around the world is not considered proof of citizenship.
Clarification of the center
On Thursday, the Center sought to defuse the controversy over whether an Indian passport can be treated as proof of citizenship, stressing that its position is neither new nor the result of a recent policy change.
A government official said, “It was not decided yesterday that a passport is not proof of nationality. It was not decided even during the past 12 years,” stressing that the legal situation has been in place for decades.
Steady growth
Even as the legal and political controversy continues, the global standing of the Indian passport has steadily improved in recent years.
According to data from the Henley Passport Index, India ranked 90th in 2021, its lowest position in recent years. Passport then improved to 84th in 2023 and 80th in 2024. After falling to 85th in 2025, India has now risen to 75th in the latest rankings, representing a jump of 10 places in the space of one year.
The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports based on access to 227 destinations around the world using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). A passport receives points when its holder can enter a destination without obtaining a prior visa, including cases where a visa on arrival, visitor’s permit or electronic travel authorization is available.
Read also: Amid row over MEA passport statement, what constitutes proof of citizenship in India?
At the top of the 2026 rankings, Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan ranked second with access to 187 destinations, followed by South Korea with access to 186 destinations.
Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the index, with its passport providing visa-free access to only 24 destinations.
