India’s Passport Ranking Slips as Visa Barriers Persist
India’s global passport ranking has dropped once again, highlighting growing concerns among travelers about limited visa-free access compared to other nations.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index, India now stands at 85th place out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year. The ranking measures the strength of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without a prior visa.
The decline has reignited public frustration, especially after a viral video by an Indian travel influencer earlier this year criticized the challenges of obtaining visas for Western and European countries. He pointed out that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka are welcoming to Indian tourists, Indians face lengthy visa processes elsewhere.
Despite being the world’s fifth-largest economy, India’s passport trails behind those of much smaller nations. Countries such as Azerbaijan (72nd), Ghana (74th), and Rwanda (78th) all rank higher on the index.
For more than a decade, India’s position has largely remained stagnant, fluctuating within the 80–90 range. The situation contrasts sharply with top-ranking Asian nations such as Singapore, South Korea, and Japan, whose citizens enjoy extensive global travel freedom.
