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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India 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 Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th 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 count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to 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, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.