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Earlier this year, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda 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 in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost 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 its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. 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 technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.