For long, the civilisational land of culturality and wisdom, India, has invoked its Soft Power. However, that projection got a fillip with the positing of the term “Vishwaguru,” implying that the land was the teacher to the world. Packaging of elements like the intellectual–spiritual–philosophical past of the ancient land, along with the global fronting of Yoga and traditions of Ayurveda, were actively presented to suggest its timeless spirit.
Initially, the world was dazzled with the assertion of India as an overdue idea, whose time had come. The results started showing positively in various global indexes, and Delhi became the “must-go” capital for global leaders, conferences, and eyes rolled more welcomingly for India and Indians.
But, did it overplay that underlying Soft Power to lose its sheen of inclusivity, gentility, and humility, to then start looking more patronising, preachy, and even partisan? The murmurs in its neighbourhood (beyond Islamabad and Beijing) started whispering about what they thought was becoming an increasingly intrusive, paternalistic, and exclusivist reflection of the “Big Brother” syndrome. The Indian Government has seemingly read the tea leaves and started recalibrating the apparently condescending term “Vishwaguru” to a friendlier and more accommodating “Vishwamitra” — a friend of the world! It was a telling shift in outlook, as relations for Delhi had started deteriorating with Washington DC, Ottawa, Ankara, Tehran et al.
It became even more urgent to frame the sovereign moorings towards a more practical and less ideological stance, as Delhi has to trapeze nimbly (often contradictorily) between unlikely powers and multilateral forums. It simply needs to win more friends globally than what is believed to be the truth domestically, but isn’t. The inevitable worms of winning in domestic politics have started coming out in the woodwork of global perceptions.
The internationally recognised Henley Passport Index for 2025 has reconfirmed that subtle slide in global perceptions with the weakened reflection of India’s passport strength, as it fell five positions in a year to 85th globally. Tellingly, it was ranked 76th on the same index in 2014.
While calculation of the index is predicated on the verifiable number of countries that a citizen of a country can access without a prior visa, that number for Indians has actually increased from 52 countries in 2014 to 57 countries in 2025 — it simply isn’t enough growth. More countries are entering into partnerships with each other than India is warming up to the rest of the world.
The global average of visa-free access has doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025, and India has simply not kept pace with global integration and the war of perceptions. Even China, with all its taints of expansionism and belligerence, has rapidly increased visa-free access for its citizens from 50 to 82, all within a decade. Unsurprisingly, China’s rank on the Henley Passport Index has moved in the opposite direction — from 94th to 60th within the last ten years.
The same retreating undercurrents are witnessed for US passport holders, as it dropped out of the top ten list for the first time. Its own restrictive policies, entry conditions, and reciprocal reactions by countries have led to a situation where the US passport is now tied with Malaysia at a joint 12th spot!
This shift in global mobility indexes and Soft Power dynamics is indicative of countries that either embrace openness and cooperation or don’t. For example, Brazil and Vietnam ended visa-free travel for US citizens, citing a lack of reciprocity. Chickens borne out of Trump’s isolationist, unilateral, and discriminatory policies are coming home to roost, as questionable legal barriers, sudden increases in entry fees, or threats of mass deportation are raising several “red flags” across capitals in the world. Collaterally, there has been an inexplicable surge in US citizens seeking alternative global residences or even citizenship options, forsaking the once powerful passport.
Meanwhile, China’s charm offensives have included rapid expansion of visa exemptions, especially to many European countries, to drive traffic towards itself. India has to introspect deeply about its own falling strength of passport beyond the passions of domestic politics that lead to unreasonable suggestions of our perceptions being either too rosy or too dismal in the eyes of the world.
We have still not tapped into the full potential of our tourism opportunities and have remained mired in bureaucratic ineptitude or partisanship, which sullies international perceptions. Goa is losing out increasingly to Sharm El-Sheikh, East Asian spots, and even the Turkish coastline as far more amenable, efficient, and affordable options.
The largest international draw to India, ie the Taj Mahal, remains diminished by the authorities for their own partisan reasons. The stranglehold of various local mafias, unbridled exploitation of natural resources, and garish new alternatives pushed as new tourism spots do not make India as attractive as it ought to.
We are perhaps developing too slowly and hence losing out in the battle of global perceptions — the domestic chorus to the contrary notwithstanding. It is imperative that we invoke our embarrassment of riches in culture, diversity, and varied topography, albeit with the befitting dignity, maturity, and confidence that befit a 5,000-year-old civilisation. Thus, the sublime concept of “Vishwamitra” is certainly timely, practical, and transformatory — the recent drop in Indian passport strength is a wake-up call.
The writer, a military veteran, is a former Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry
