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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies 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 around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. 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 number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.