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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

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

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

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

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

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

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas 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 entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.