There is good news for Indian passport holders even as the travel industry stays fragile with the ongoing pandemic. The passport ranks at 83rd position, seven positions up from its 90th ranking in 2021. A passport’s strength is measured by the number of countries its holders can visit without requiring a prior visa. Those holding an Indian passport can now visit 60 countries across the world without the need for a prior visa. In 2021, the number of such countries was reported to be 58.
The rankings are as per the Henley Passport Index, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The index also suggests that the average number of countries that any individual can visit without the need of a prior visa is 107. Holders of passports from a number of countries including the USA, Singapore and Japan can access as many as 180 countries on the said parameter!
The top spots in the index are grabbed by Japan and Singapore; passports from both the nations can let one visit a whopping 192 destination without a prior visa! This does not take into account the current COVID regulations and restrictions.
The disparity
It is believed that the disparity between the world’s strongest and weakest passport (Afghanistan) has increased because of the pandemic as well as the widening economic differences. A popular views also suggests that vaccine distribution should be done in a more equal way to bridge the gap.