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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – 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 hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.