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In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

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

Such concerns regarding 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 than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

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

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.