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Earlier this year, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

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

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

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

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.