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Earlier this year, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, 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 grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th 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.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had 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, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador 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 small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.