The Reasons Behind the Indian Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 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 fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place 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 multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American 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, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

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