🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank 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 Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position 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 number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries 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 countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.