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Earlier this year, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.