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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda 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, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming 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 fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. 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 high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities 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 new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.