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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is 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 threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.