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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two 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, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

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