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Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

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

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

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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 the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.