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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had 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 the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. 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 says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.