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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.