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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

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

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 at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges 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 over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.