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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.