India’s ranking in the Global Passport Index (GPI) fell to 125th, down one place from last year, in the fifth annual edition published by residency and citizenship consultancy Global Citizen Solutions (GCS). India is flanked by Namibia at 124th and Azerbaijan at 126th. The report ranks 197 countries, with nine European countries in the top ten.
Singapore is the only Asian passport to make it to the top 20 on the list, which evaluates passports based on criteria linked to promoting mobility, investment and quality of living. Unlike the GPI, many passport rankings primarily measure visa-free travel as a ranking criteria.
Where is India located according to the World Passport Index?
India ranks 125th out of a list of 197 countries in the World Passport Index. Although it fell one place from last year, it improved from 127th in 2021, when the rankings first began. India’s composite score also reached a five-year high of 45.1.
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The report indicates that the Indian passport provides visa-free entry to 26 countries.
Indian passport holders can travel visa-free or obtain a visa on arrival to destinations including Bhutan, Jamaica, Macau, Nepal, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola and Barbados.
However, Indian citizens still need a visa to visit about 88 destinations, including the US, UK, Germany, France, China, Andorra and the UAE.
India’s standing compared to other Asian passports
The Indian passport does not appear in the list of top five passports. Top Asian passports include Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.
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In the overall ranking, its neighbor India ranks 188th, Bangladesh 166th, Sri Lanka 141st, Nepal 164th, Bhutan 132nd, and China 104th.
If we look at Asian countries only, India ranks 29th.
What is the World Passport Index?
The latest Global Passport Index report ranks passports not only in terms of ease of international travel but also in terms of the benefits they offer for living, working and investing in other countries.
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Instead of ranking passports solely by freedom of travel, the Global Passport Index measures them across three main categories: enhanced mobility (50 percent), investment (25 percent), and quality of living (25 percent). These are based on 14 separate indicators.
The Indian passport ranked 118th in the quality of living index, improving 11 places from 129th last year. The index measures six main aspects that determine the quality of life in any country and represents 25 percent of the overall score. According to the report, it also takes into account factors such as healthcare, education and personal safety.
India ranked 94th in the investment index, moving up three places from 97th in the previous edition.
