🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind the National Passport Continues to Drop in Global Ranking India's passport ranks 85th position out of 199 nations according to the Henley Passport Index In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media. He mentioned although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult. Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year. The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far. Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively. Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks. Citizens of India have visa-free entry to 57 countries Global Passport Power Measures The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods 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. For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking. A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024. The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation? Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently. 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 during the same time period. Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations. Singapore's passport is the most powerful in the world Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad. For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics. The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country. "Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation." Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations. Security and Technological Improvements The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. 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 electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport. But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.