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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power 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 additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

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 came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas 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 to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat 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 small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.