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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.