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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits 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 India 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 yet.

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

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, 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 global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities detained over two hundred individuals 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 new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.