The Reasons Behind India's National Passport Continues to Drop in Worldwide Standing

Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.