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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

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

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago 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 in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.