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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than 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 hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, 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 ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.