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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.