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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India 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 regarding these findings so far.

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

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships 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 almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says 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 – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.