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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

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

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided 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 eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 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 notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.