India has jumped to the 82nd position in the rank on the global passport index, and holders of Indian passports now have visa-free access to 58 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand—some of the favorite travel destinations. The latest rankings were issued by the UK-based Henley Passport Index, which releases its ranking based on the data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The Henley Passport Index ranks countries according to the number of travel destinations their ordinary passports allow without a visa.
Singapore regained its position as the world's most powerful passport in the latest rankings, breaking a record as its passport offers visa-free access to 195 out of 227 global destinations. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain dropped to a joint second place, with each of these passports offering entry to 192 destinations without a visa.
The next position is occupied by the following seven nations—Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden—which have done a great job in offering visa-free access to 191 destinations on an individual basis. The UK moves down one rank to fourth place, along with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, while its visa-free access falls to 190 destinations. The United States continues slipping and is now placed 8th, having visa-free access to only 186 destinations.
IATA forecasts that in 2024, airlines will connect almost 5 billion people through 22,000 routes across 39 million flights, with air cargo at 62 million tonnes, supporting $8.3 trillion worth of trade.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the forecast expects the aviation sector to generate almost $1 trillion revenues in the year ahead, but costs will hit an all-time high of $936 billion, for a net profit of $30.5 billion.
For the first time, the UAE has broken through the Top 10, hugely expanding its visa-free access to 185 destinations from 152 since the index began in 2006.
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