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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

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

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 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 India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

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

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.