As India’s passport steadily ascends global power ranking charts, let’s do all we can to strengthen it

The little blue booklet with the Ashokan lion-crest now grants citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to as many as 55 countries, which implies an increase in its power as a door opener.

Earlier this week, Germany allowed Indian travellers visa-free transit. While this permission to pass through German airports for onward flights to other places may not necessarily reflect in Henley’s rankings, Indian diplomacy may be helping expand the freedom with which Indians can go globe-trotting.

Given a detectably rising urge among us to visit overseas destinations as tourists and the growing need of business travellers to get around the world, a strengthening passport is clearly good news.

Of course, other passport holders remain significantly more welcome, globally. Take Singapore’s passport, which tops Henley’s chart; it allows easy access to 192 countries. Second-ranked Japan’s and South Korea’s passports let their holders breeze past border barriers in 188 countries.

The third position on the chart is shared by Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, citizens of which have instant access to 186 destinations.

As for the US, whose passport has long been among the world’s most sought-after, its citizens must content themselves with the 10th spot, with access to 179 countries without the need of a visa acquired in advance. While we move up, we have much catching up to do.

No doubt, there are many passports that are ranked lower than India’s. The weakest passport, as per Henley’s criteria, is Afghanistan’s. It is placed 101st on the 2026 list, as it allows entry only to 24 countries without a prior visa.

Syria’s is ranked 100th, with just 26 nations ready to let the citizens of this strife-ridden country enter without being cleared ahead of arrival by immigration authorities.

As India’s economy emerges, we can expect to see more and more countries granting us the privilege of showing up in the expectation of being let in.

The wait for access to many prized destinations, however, could be long. Anti-immigration sentiment in the West has been on the rise and political conditions in rich Western countries may not be conducive for them to relax entry barriers for Indian citizens, many of whom may be under suspicion for being economic refugees in the guise of casual visitors.

Our passport’s relatively low rank may be a reason why so many globe-faring business people opt for foreign citizenship. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many people of Indian origin who do acquire other passports would be glad to have an Indian one too.

New Delhi, however, has long disallowed dual citizenship among Indians, with Person of Indian Origin (PIO) booklets issued to non-residents who qualify and need visa-free access to India. Many nations, though, have no qualms letting their citizens hold other passports simultaneously. It may be time for us to reopen our debate on letting people be citizens of India as well as of another country.

As for security risks, case-by-case checks could ensure that we don’t expose our national interests to threats. Liberalized citizenship rules will please PIOs, but could also give our passport more power.