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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital 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 passport.

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.