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Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations 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 in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.