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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

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