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

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to 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 country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in 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 for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number 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 international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

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

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, 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 democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.