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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.