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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

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

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist 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 high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.