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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

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

Actually, 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, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell 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 for Indians 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 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two 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 – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences 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 welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses 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 play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.