The Reasons Behind India's National Passport Is Falling in Worldwide Standing

In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, 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 to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape 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 count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number 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 enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.