Why the National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.