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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies 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, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 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 fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, 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.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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