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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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