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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

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

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel 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 visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

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. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," 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 like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.