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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India 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.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than 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 over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.