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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – 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 ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean 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 destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

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

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.