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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.