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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which 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 remained 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 country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist 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 of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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