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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

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

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged 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, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.