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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction 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, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free 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 countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 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 diplomat 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 includes a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.