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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank 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 during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

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

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.