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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations 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 – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 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 multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

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

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.