india passport
There has been a big improvement in the global ranking of India’s passport this year. According to the newly released Henley Passport Index, India has increased from 85th position to 75th position. With this reform, Indian citizens can now travel to 56 countries with visa-free or visa-on-arrival facility. However, India is still behind its best ever position of 71st (2006).
What is Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index ranks the passports of the world’s countries based on how many countries their citizens can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. The better the rank of a country, the greater the global travel facilities of its citizens.
In which countries is the facility available?
Indian passport holders can now travel to many countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific region without prior visa. These include popular destinations like Bhutan, Nepal, Fiji, Mauritius, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Apart from this, visa-on-arrival or e-Visa facility is also available in many countries, which has made the travel process easier.
What does this mean?
Experts believe that this improvement is a sign of India’s growing global identity and diplomatic relations. However, in many developed countries, Indian citizens still have to obtain a visa in advance. Still, the jump of 10 places is being considered a positive sign.
This news is a relief for Indian travelers, because now they will not have to go through the lengthy visa process to travel to many countries. If bilateral relations become stronger in the coming years, India’s ranking may see further improvement.
