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In recent months, a video by 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 were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India 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 regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.