🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind the National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking The Indian passport holds the eighty-fifth position out of one hundred ninety-nine countries on the Henley Passport Index In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms. He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge. This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year. The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far. Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order. Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions. Citizens of India can enjoy travel without visas in fifty-seven nations Global Passport Power Measures The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel. However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years. As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index. The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024. The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), yet 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 international travel – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025. As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration. Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries. The Singaporean passport is the most powerful in the world Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries. For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics. The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country. "Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has 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 play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries. Enhanced Security Measures India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals. The former ambassador says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport. But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.