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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 neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access 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, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas 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 contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals 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 technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.