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Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, 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 and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

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

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.