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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding 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 access 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.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits 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 other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.