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

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

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

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

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure of a national passport 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 risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.