🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength 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 educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

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

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.