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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, 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.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.