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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 on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like 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 with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, 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 continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

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

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.