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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries 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 its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel 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, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic 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 passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.