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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries 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 increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

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