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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries 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 international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (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 – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit 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 destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

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