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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.