India’s global reach grows, but passport strength remains weak

By: Team India Tracker

New Delhi is a global heavyweight—its economy vast, diaspora influential, and diplomacy assertive. Yet its citizens still face some of the world’s toughest visa barriers

India’s global footprint may be expanding—from trade to diplomacy—but its passport continues to lag far behind its ambitions. In 2025, Indian citizens can travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access to only 57 destinations, placing the country 85th out of 199 on the Henley & Partners Passport Index. The figure is barely an improvement from a decade ago, when Indians could visit 52 destinations without prior approval. Despite India’s economic rise and growing global influence, its citizens’ travel freedom has remained largely static.

The numbers tell a story of inertia. In 2015, India ranked in the low 80s on the global index. Over the next 10 years, it oscillated between the 81st and 90th positions, reaching a short-lived high in mid-2024 before sliding again. Even a temporary climb to 77th earlier this year, when the country briefly secured access to 59 destinations, failed to hold. Such volatility underscores how fragile India’s mobility gains have been—and how little progress has translated into sustained diplomatic capital.

This stagnation stands in sharp contrast to the widening mobility gap between the developed and developing worlds. Singapore once again leads the 2025 index, offering its citizens visa-free entry to 193 destinations. Japan and South Korea follow closely with access to around 190 countries. European passports—Germany, France, Spain—also remain near the top, reflecting not just economic strength but the credibility and trust their citizens command abroad.

By comparison, India’s modest tally of 57 reveals how its travel freedom has not kept pace with its geopolitical stature. Even among emerging economies, it trails many peers. China, for instance, increased its visa-free access from 45 destinations in 2015 to 82 in 2025, the result of a deliberate push to secure reciprocal travel deals as part of its diplomatic outreach. Brazil and South Africa, too, have expanded their networks significantly through regional and bilateral arrangements. India’s incremental rise of just five destinations over a decade looks increasingly out of step with its aspirations.

What makes this divergence more striking is the paradox it creates. India is now one of the world’s largest economies and a key voice in global forums such as the G20 and BRICS. Its overseas diaspora is among the most influential, its businesses operate on nearly every continent, and its foreign policy rhetoric often invokes the phrase “global leadership.” Yet when it comes to the ordinary act of crossing borders, its citizens face some of the world’s toughest barriers. From student visas and business trips to family visits, Indian travellers must navigate long application queues, high fees, and stringent documentation—hurdles that citizens of smaller, less powerful nations often avoid.

Analysts say this disconnect reflects a deeper issue in how India’s rise has been perceived and reciprocated. Economic growth and diplomatic visibility have not automatically translated into the kind of mutual trust that drives easier travel. Visa policy, after all, is a measure of confidence between governments—of how one country assesses the likelihood that another’s citizens will respect its immigration rules, return on time, and contribute positively during their stay. In this regard, India continues to be viewed with caution by many Western nations, where concerns over overstays and irregular migration persist.

There is also an institutional element at play. Negotiating reciprocal visa arrangements requires administrative capacity and sustained follow-through. India’s foreign ministry and immigration systems, while active in trade and security diplomacy, have not always given mobility the same strategic importance. Many of India’s visa agreements remain one-sided, tilted toward attracting foreign tourists or investors rather than securing equivalent rights for its own citizens abroad.

The consequence is a widening soft-power gap. A weak passport limits the ease with which Indians can study, work, or collaborate internationally. It affects the competitiveness of Indian professionals, especially in services and tech sectors where mobility is crucial. It also sends an unintended signal about India’s global integration: that the world still treats its citizens with caution, even as it courts its markets and investment.

Bridging this divide will require more than economic strength. It demands an image of reliability, openness, and reciprocity that reassures partner nations. For India, that means aligning its global diplomacy with the everyday realities of its citizens. Until that happens, the Indian passport will remain a symbol of contradiction—a document issued by a rising power, yet one that opens far fewer doors than its global stature would suggest.