The Indian passport ranked 125th in the fifth annual Global Passport Index (GPI), published by residency and citizenship consultancy Global Citizen Solutions (GCS), down one place from its overall ranking in 2025, and moving up just two places over the past five years.
Unlike many passport rankings that primarily measure visa-free travel, the World Passport Index assesses the overall strength of a passport by considering factors such as global mobility, investment potential and quality of life.
The latest report ranks passports not only in terms of ease of international travel, but also in terms of the advantages they offer for living, working and investing in other countries.
India ranks 125th in the World Passport Index
According to the fifth edition of the World Passport Index, India ranked 125th out of 197 countries. The country fell from 124th in 2025 but improved from 127th in 2021. Its composite score also reached a five-year high of 45.1.
The report says 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.
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.
Enhanced Mobility Index: India ranks 136
India ranked 136th in the enhanced mobility index, one notch lower than its ranking last year.
This category, which represents 50% of the overall score, measures the travel benefits a passport provides. It also takes into account the attractiveness of the destination country by taking into account the quality of life there.
Quality of Living Index: India ranks 118
In the latest rankings, Indian Passport ranked 118th in the Quality of Living Index, improving by 11 places from 129th place 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.
Investment Index: India ranks 94th
India ranked 94th in the investment index, moving up three places from 97th in the previous edition.
The Investment Index evaluates a country’s economy as a destination for investment and business opportunities.
Countries with strong and growing economies receive higher scores, while personal taxes are also taken into account in the assessment. The report says that this category constitutes 25 percent of the total score.
