Why the National Passport Is Falling in Worldwide Standing

Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to 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 extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

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 recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, 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 large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.