🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased 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 access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. 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.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.