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Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. 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.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.