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In recent months, 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 although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size 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.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – 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, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. 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," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.