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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, 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 expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking 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 after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

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

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.