🔗 Share this article

In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, 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 Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean 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 expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

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

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.