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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.