India’s passport falls to 85th rank in world's most powerful passports index
New Delhi: India has slipped to 85th place out of 199 countries in the latest 2025 Henley Passport Index, released on Wednesday, down from 77th in July.
The quarterly report, published by citizenship and residence consultancy Henley and Partners, ranks passports based on the number of countries their holders can enter without a pre-departure visa.
According to the index, Indian passport holders can now travel visa-free to 57 countries, a decline from 62 countries last year when India was ranked 80th. Countries allowing visa-free entry to Indians include Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, among others.
Among India’s neighbours, Pakistan ranked 103rd, down from 96th in July; Bangladesh stood at 100th; Nepal at 101st; and Bhutan at 92nd.
Singapore retained its position as the world’s strongest passport, with citizens able to travel to 193 countries without a pre-departure visa. South Korea ranked second with access to 190 destinations, followed by Japan with 189.
For the first time in the index’s 20-year history, the United States fell out of the top 10 most powerful passports.
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan holds the least powerful passport, granting visa-free access to only 24 countries, followed by Syria with 26 and Iraq with 29 visa-free destinations.
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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
