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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of 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, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings 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 in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances 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 high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.