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Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, 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 such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.