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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.