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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.