🔗 Share this article

In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.