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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges 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 grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

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

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

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

Elements like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.