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In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

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

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.