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

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, 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 like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.