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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 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 Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.