🔗 Share this article

In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, 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 grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas 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 destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.