🔗 Share this article

In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges 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.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated 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 small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.