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Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, 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 Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with 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 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding 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 Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.