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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American 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 former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.