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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

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

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.