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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including 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 at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, 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 for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

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 number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn 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, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors 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.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.