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

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago 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) exceeds the number eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures 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. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.