Why the National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, 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 information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.