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In recent months, a video by 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 like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest 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.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, 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 other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure 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, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says 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 counterfeit or alter the passport.

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