The Reasons Behind the Indian Passport Continues to Drop in Global Ranking

In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet 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 international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "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 entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.