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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

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

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.