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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Countries like 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, in that order.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. 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 visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

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

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.