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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

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

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

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