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In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, 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 over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

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

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.