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Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over 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 Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

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

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, 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 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor 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 a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

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

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

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