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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained 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 former ambassador says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.