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

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

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.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more 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.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.