In 2023, Thailand and Malaysia introduced visa-free entry for Indian nationals, aiming to attract more tourists and compensate for declining Chinese tourist inflows post-pandemic. The initiative has proven successful, prompting both nations to extend the facility. Airlines responded by significantly increasing flights and seat capacity between India and these countries. In the October-December 2024 quarter, flights between India and Thailand rose by 35.5% year-on-year (YoY), while seat capacity increased by 31.4%. Similarly, India-Malaysia flights grew by 20.5% YoY, with a 19.3% increase in seat capacity. The upward trend is set to continue, with projections for the January-March 2025 quarter showing a 48.3% increase in India-Thailand flights and a 36.8% rise for India-Malaysia.
The initiative has also catalyzed new flight routes and partnerships, such as IndiGo’s Chennai-Penang service and Air India Express's Bangkok and Phuket routes. Additionally, visa-free entry encourages Indian travelers to use Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as aviation hubs for further international travel, enhancing connectivity. Official DGCA data supports this trend, with passenger traffic on India-Thailand and India-Malaysia routes rising 21.8% and 35.3% YoY, respectively, in the April-June 2024 quarter. This collaboration highlights how strategic policy measures like visa waivers can boost tourism and aviation sectors, creating win-win outcomes for all stakeholders.
Visa-Free Countries for Indian Passport Holders
As of January 2025, Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to several countries across various regions. Here's a categorized list:
Asia:
Bhutan
Nepal
Maldives (up to 90 days)
Macau (up to 30 days)
Kazakhstan (up to 14 days)
Thailand (visa exemption until May 10, 2024)
Malaysia (visa exemption until December 31, 2024)
Africa:
Mauritius (up to 90 days)
Senegal (up to 90 days)
Rwanda (visa on arrival for 30 days)
Gambia (up to 90 days)
Caribbean:
Barbados (up to 90 days)
Dominica (up to 6 months)
Grenada (up to 3 months)
Haiti (up to 3 months)
Jamaica
Saint Kitts and Nevis (up to 3 months)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (up to 1 month)
Trinidad and Tobago (up to 90 days)
Oceania:
Fiji (up to 4 months)
Micronesia (up to 30 days)
Vanuatu (up to 30 days)
Middle East:
Qatar (visa waiver for 30 days)
