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

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to 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, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.