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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming 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 was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost 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 rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access 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 growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has 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, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.