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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which 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 in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength 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, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had 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.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.