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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 nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite 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, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 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 in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.