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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation 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 – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was 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 global mobility – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

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