🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians 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 eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

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

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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