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In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda 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, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free 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 destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors 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 receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.