Why India's National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which 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 in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

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

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.