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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.