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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than 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 remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

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 world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.