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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, 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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

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

For instance, 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 global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure 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. In 2024, law enforcement 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 indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

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