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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, 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, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access 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 eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved 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 following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing 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 former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.