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Earlier this year, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.