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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.