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Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to 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 recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced 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 forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.