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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, 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, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.