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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, 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. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.