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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates 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, 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.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. 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. This electronic document includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.