🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming 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 was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

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

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded 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 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.