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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to 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 the country 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 with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the 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, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas 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. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.