New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- Centre rejected the global rating of India's position in global passport mobility rankings and said that 27 countries offered visa-free entry to Indian passport holders.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that visa issuance is a sovereign matter for a country and depends on various factors, including bilateral relations and the principle of reciprocity.

The Indian passport ranked 125th in the Global Passport Index 2026, published by the residency and citizenship advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) on June 30.

The Henley Passport Index, another ranking of passports globally, placed the Indian passport at 80th rank, down from 85th in 20...