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Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking 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 two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), 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 entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average 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 expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

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

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan 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. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.