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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

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

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.