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In recent months, 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 although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

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

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.