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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

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

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the 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 increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.