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

In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana 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, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.