🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

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 this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

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 openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.