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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana 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 in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, 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.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.