India’s passport has slipped one place in the Global Passport Index (GPI) 2026, ranking 125th out of 197 countries. While that may sound like bad news, the report also shows that India’s overall passport score has reached its highest level in the past five years.
The findings are part of the fifth edition of the Global Passport Index, published by residency and citizenship advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions (GCS).
Unlike rankings that focus only on the number of countries a passport can enter without a visa, the Global Passport Index looks at a much wider picture. It measures passports based on three main factors: travel freedom, investment opportunities, and quality of life, to judge how valuable a passport is for its holder.
India is placed just behind Namibia, which ranks 124th, while Azerbaijan follows at 126th.
India slips a place, but the bigger picture tells a different story
India was ranked 124th in 2025 but has dropped to 125th this year. However, the report points out that India’s overall passport score has improved to 45.1, its highest since the index began tracking the country in 2021.
Looking at the past five years, India’s position has changed very little. It ranked 127th in 2021 and now stands at 125th, gaining just two places during that period.
The report says this is surprising because India has grown into one of the world’s biggest economies and has become quite important on the global stage. Yet, the strength of its passport has not improved at the same pace. As a result, India’s passport continues to remain in the bottom third of the 197 countries included in the rankings.
The report also shows that India’s neighbours continue to rank in the lower half of the index. Pakistan remains among the bottom 20 countries and is grouped with conflict-affected nations such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Syria. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal also remain in the lower tiers of the rankings.
Travel freedom remains India’s biggest challenge
According to the report, the biggest reason behind India’s low ranking is its limited visa-free travel. India’s mobility ranking is around 136th, much lower than its overall passport ranking.
Indian passport holders can visit 26 countries without needing a visa beforehand. These destinations include Bhutan, Nepal, Jamaica, Macau, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola, etc.
However, Indians still require a visa to travel to around 88 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, Andorra, and the United Arab Emirates.
There has been some progress over the years. The number of destinations Indian passport holders can visit without getting a visa in advance has increased. India’s visa-free mobility score has risen from 18 in 2021 to about 23 in 2026.
But the report says other countries have improved much faster by signing more visa-free agreements. So even though India’s numbers have gone up, it has still lost ground compared to many other countries.
Quality of living sees the biggest improvement
India performed much better in the Quality of Living Index, climbing to 118th from 129th last year. The report says this category looks at six major factors that affect daily life, including healthcare, education, and personal safety. Quality of Living contributes 25% to the final passport score.
Investment ranking also improves
India also moved up in the Investment Index, rising to 94th from 97th last year. This category measures how attractive a country is for business and investment. It looks at the strength of the economy, business opportunities, and personal taxation.
The Investment Index accounts for 25% of the overall score.
Europe continues to dominate the rankings
European countries once again led the Global Passport Index in 2026, taking nine of the top ten spots. Sweden remained at number one for the third straight year.
It was followed by Switzerland and Finland, both of which have climbed from outside the top ten in 2021 to reach the top three this year. According to GCS, these countries perform well because they score strongly across all three areas measured by the index, including mobility, investment attractiveness, and quality of life.
Sweden tops the 2026 rankings
Sweden was named the world’s strongest passport in the 2026 Global Passport Index.
The top 10 countries are:
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- Denmark
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
- Norway
- Singapore
The Global Passport Index uses a different method from other well-known passport rankings. For example, the Henley Passport Index ranked India 78th in 2026.
The difference comes from the way the Global Passport Index calculates its rankings. Instead of looking only at visa-free travel, it also considers factors such as investment opportunities and quality of life, giving a broader view of a passport’s overall value.