🔗 Share this article

In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

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

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. 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 electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

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