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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 that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations 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 expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, 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 the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, 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 technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.