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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more 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 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has 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, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.