India has fallen one position from last year in the recently released Henley Passport Index for 2024. The Indian passport ranks 85th on the list while France has got the top position, reported India Today.

The Henley Passport Index ranks countries on the basis of the strength of their passports. France has secured the top position as its passport grants visa-free access to 194 countries.

However, Indian passport’s decline has come as a surprise given the fact that visa-free access to countries for Indians has increased over the last year. In 2024, Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 62 countries as compared to 60 countries in 2023.

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When it comes to India’s neighbours, Pakistan has got the 106th place, similar to last year, while Bangladesh has slipped from 101st to 102nd position.

Interestingly, Maldives has got a much better rank than India, securing the 58th place as Maldivian passport holders enjoy visa-free travel to 96 countries.

How Henley Passport Index comes up with the rankings

The Henley Passport Index comes up with the rankings from analysis of data spanning the past 19 years, based on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) specialized data, covering 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations worldwide. The Index is updated monthly.

As per the Henley Passport Index, in 2006, people could travel visa-free to an average of 58 countries. But after nearly 18 years in 2024, that number has nearly doubled to 111 countries.