🔗 Share this article

In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens 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 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance 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 Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

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

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.