Indian passport weakest among G-20 nations in global index: Report

All the titular nations of the BRICS geopolitical bloc, Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa have also remained higher than India in the Global passport ranking.

India’s position in the latest Henley Passport index dipped from 80 in 2024 to 85 in 2025, continuing the downward trend for the country’s passport strength. While the national media has been building a narrative of more countries ‘respecting and welcoming’ India on the global stage, the 2025 passport index ranking contradicts that narrative.

Contrary to India’s repositioning as an aggressive and assertive player in International politics, India’s ordinary passport bearers can only visit 57 destinations without a visa, among which are mostly small island nations, and overseas territories, which welcome not just Indians, but tourists from most countries for their economic survival.

India’s current position in the index is shared with two African countries, Equatorial Guinea and Niger, a far cry from the India becoming ‘Vishwaguru‘ (meaning global leader) campaign.

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The Henley Passport index is compiled based on data obtained from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) global travel information.

‘Viswaguru’ passport weakest among G20

The G-20 summit, which was held in India in 2023, as part of its rotational hosting system, was heavily advertised and celebrated in India as the world’s largest democracy raised among others, being a trailblazer among the developing nation, soon to become the third largest economy and a developed country.

Meanwhile, the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index shows that out of the 20 nations among the G-20 group, India’s passport remains the weakest, with the fewest visa-free access to destinations.

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Among the G-20 nations, Australia ranks at 6 in the global passport index and Canada remained at the 7th position for a consecutive second year, meanwhile, the USA dropped two ranks to find itself in the 9th position, with visa-free access to 186 nations.

Turkey, another member nation of the G-20 group ranks at the 46th position in the list, with access to 116 visa-free destinations.

Western European member nations including France, Italy, Germany and the UK also rank way higher than India, in the Passport strength ranking.

Latin American G-20 nations, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico too scored ahead in the Passport rankings.

Meanwhile, India’s Asian counterparts, including China, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea too have more visa-free destinations to offer to their passport holders.

Preparations for G20 Summit in Delhi
Gurugram: Beautification work being conducted in preparations for the upcoming G20 Summit, near Sirhaul toll plaza, in Gurugram, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Indian passport weakest among BRICS nations

All the titular nations of the BRICS geopolitical bloc, Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa have remained higher than India in the ranking.

Brazil ranks in the 18th position, with access to 171 countries, while Russia ranks at 46 with visa-free travel access to 116 countries. South African passport was ranked at the 48th position in the Henley index, as it has visa-free access to 106 destinations.

When compared to the other smaller nations which have joined the BRICS later, UAE (10th rank), and Indonesia (66) stand higher in the index while only Iran (96), Egypt (90), and Ethiopia (94) have weaker passports than India.

China climbed since 2015, while India slid

Another major member of the BRICS, China, with which India has been maintaining a confrontational relationship in the second term of the Modi regime, has climbed steadily in the index.

It is to be noted that in 2015’s Henley Passport Index, China ranked 94th while India positioned itself with a slightly better ranking of 88.

In the 10 years since, which has also coincided with the Narendra Modi-led BJP rule, India’s neighbour has kept moving upwards to rank 60th in 2025, with visa-free access to 85 destinations.

Chinese passport holders have visa-free access to Singapore, the country that has topped the Henley Passport index with access to 195, Indian passport holders are not welcome there without a visa.

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