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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.