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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

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

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected 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.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, 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 for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens 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 in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following 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 more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.