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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average 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, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the 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. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

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