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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

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