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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

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

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had 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," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.