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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, 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, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

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

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.