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

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan 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," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.