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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

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

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