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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again 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.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

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

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.