🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind the National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking The Indian passport holds 85th spot out of 199 nations according to the Henley Passport Index Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media. He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult. Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year. The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far. Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order. In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions. Citizens of India have visa-free entry to 57 countries What Passport Strength Indicates Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel. However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so. As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index. The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens 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 (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation? Experts say 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 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. For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations 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. Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations. The Singaporean passport is the most powerful globally Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad. For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics. The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy. "Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation." Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations. Enhanced Security Measures India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals. The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document. However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.