Jaishankar visits Pune's Regional Passport Office, appreciates citizen-centric public delivery service

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday visited the Regional Passport Office, Pune and appreciated citizen-centric public delivery service.
"Visited the Regional Passport Office, Pune today morning. Appreciate the service-focused and citizen-centric public delivery of the team. Regular feedback is essential to keep improving our services," tweeted Jaishankar.
Notably, in the latest Henley Passport Index released in January, India was placed at 85th, two places ahead of last year's 87th spot.
According to the index, an Indian passport holder now has visa-free access to 59 countries, compared to 60 last year while Iraq and Afghanistan are on the last spot.
A strong passport can make it easier for individuals to travel internationally for business, tourism, and study. It can also provide greater access to foreign markets and economies, which can benefit individuals and businesses.
Starting January 1, 2023, Indian passport holders are required to apply for a visa to enter the country, unlike in the past when visa-free travel to the country for 90 days was allowed.
Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 59 destinations such as Bhutan, Indonesia, Macao, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Iran, and Qatar. Some countries require visa-on-arrival.
The Henley Passport Index is prepared by London-based Henley and Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm.
The index claims to be the "original ranking of all the world's passports", and is updated quarterly according to countries' visa policy changes.
It gathers data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which manages inter-airline cooperation globally.
The index covers 227 destinations and 199 passports, and compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. If no visa is required, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport.
The same applies if you can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor's permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.
Earlier, Jaishankar spoke at Symbiosis International, Pune on India and the G20 and said, "Our G20 Presidency comes as a special responsibility at a challenging time for the world."
He further stated," New India is a solution provider for contemporary and emerging global problems. We have a strong resolve today to stand up to defend our national interest while having the independence to becoming the voice of Global South."
Terming India as a civilisational state, he said, "We are a civilisational state leading a resurgence to an era in which diversity is respected. A nation, whose energy, enthusiasm and creativity is rising and one whose future the world has a great interest in." (ANI)