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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.