🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year 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 fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, 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.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

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

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

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

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.