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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

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

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following 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 growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.