New Delhi: The latest Henley Passport Index shows China’s passport is now stronger than India’s, letting Chinese citizens travel to more countries without a visa than Indians. The ranking not only shows travel freedom but also a country’s global influence and diplomatic reach.
According to the report, China presently ranks 56th across the globe. Over the past decade, the country has moved up 28 places, with about a 10-rank improvement compared to 2025. Chinese passport holders can now travel to roughly 82 to 85 countries without needing a prior visa or by obtaining a visa on arrival.
In comparison, India holds the 75th position in 2026. Indian citizens have access to 56 countries either visa-free or with visa-on-arrival. It also shows a progress with a 10-place jump from last year. Despite this improvement, the mobility gap between India and China is pronounced.
Chinese citizens can travel to about 26 to 29 more countries without a visa than Indian travellers. This gives them much more freedom to visit different places around the world. They can enter popular tourism and business destinations such as Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Thailand without applying for a visa in advance.
Recently, China also made visa-free deals with Malaysia and the Solomon Islands, opening up even more travel opportunities for its people.
Granting unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of nearly 74 countries, Beijing has also extended its visa policy to encourage tourism and economic activity. This strategy highlights China’s aim to enhance global connectivity and attract international visitors.
India, meanwhile, has seen changes in its visa situation along with its rise in ranking. Some countries, including Iran and Bolivia, have removed visa-free or visa-on-arrival access for Indian travellers, while destinations like Gambia have opened up to them.
These developments indicate changing patterns of international travel for Indian citizens, even as China continues to lead in global travel freedom.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
