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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

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

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

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.