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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago 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) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit 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 on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index 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 says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.