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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians with the 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, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) 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?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape 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 count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

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

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.