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Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Countries including 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, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but 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 global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access 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 its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

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

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.