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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

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

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank during both periods 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 forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago 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 on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

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

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

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