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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.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies 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, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position 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 countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.