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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas 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 at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

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

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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