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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank 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 – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport 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 improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

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

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.