🔗 Share this article

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

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

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

Nations like 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 hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means 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 actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned 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, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.