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

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

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

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan 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," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

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

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.