🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected 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 than last year.

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

Countries 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 in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

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

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.