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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian 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 to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

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

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.