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

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings 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 global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking 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 this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements 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 example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

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

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.