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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with 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 access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.