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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations 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.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, 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 top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, 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 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens 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 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to 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.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access 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.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

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

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.